Implementing a constructive struggle approach: Insights from a training program for security forces prior to executing a government evacuation policy in the context of a protracted conflict

• Published date: 01 March 2024
• Author: Ziv Gilad,Michal Raz‐Rotem,Amikam Harpaz,Haim Omer
• Date: 01 March 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21404

PRACTICE INSIGHTS

Implementing a constructive struggle

approach: Insights from a training program

for security forces prior to executing

a government evacuation policy in the context

of a protracted conflict

Ziv Gilad

1

| Michal Raz-Rotem

2

| Amikam Harpaz

3

|

Haim Omer

4

1

School of Political Sciences, University

of Haifa, Haifa, Israel and The

Department of Criminology, The Wesrern

Galilee College, Israel

2

The Department of Human Services, and

The Center for Diversity and Intergroup

Conflict Studies, The Max Stern Yezreel

Valley College, Israel

3

The Institute of Criminology, Faculty of

Law, The Hebrew University of

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

4

School of Psychological Sciences, Tel

Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Correspondence

Ziv Gilad, The Department of

Criminology, The Wesrern Galilee

College, Israel.

Email: zivgilad1@gmail.com

Abstract

This article describes the contribution and insights of

adopting practices that support a strategy of non-violent

resistance, and a constructive conflict approach (con-

structive struggle) that endeavors to minimize physical

and psychological harm, and prevent escalation that

leads to destructive conflict. It describes the exposure of

security forces to such practices in the context of the

protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The article dem-

onstrates how interactions attended by high tensions

and resistance can be conducted constructively, in con-

trast with similar situations in the past, when use of

force and authority was considered legitimate, even

though it frequently resulted in worsened relations

between the sides to the conflict. Specifically, the article

focuses on the case of a training program that was cre-

ated for the evacuating forces prior to implementation of

the Disengagement Plan. It also describes insights on

Ziv Gilad and Michal Raz-Rotem contributed equally to this study, and should be considered joint first authors.

Received: 12 March 2022 Revised: 17 June 2023 Accepted: 27 July 2023

DOI: 10.1002/crq.21404

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits

use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or

adaptations are made.

© 2023 The Authors. Conflict Resolution Quarterly published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Conflict Resolution Quarterly. 2024;41:269–279. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/crq 269