‘Traitors, Snitches, Collaborators’ : Analysing In-Group Criticism Towards Peace Organisations in Intractable Conflict

Identity serves two functions: it orders our environment, and it gives us a sense of certainty. The role played by identity in the intractability of conflict has recently sparked a new line of research. Drawing on insights from social psychological research, I argue that intractable conflict circumstances bolster social identities and create rigid group norms, which affect the vulnerability of peace movement organizations that operate in this context. I hypothesize that peace organizations that disregard prominent group beliefs regarding the conflict, are more likely to be severely criticized at the collective level. For the empirical analysis, I turn to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a typical case of on-going intractable conflict. I compare the results of a qualitative content analysis of expressions of in-group criticism towards local Israeli peace organisations in local media reporting, within the framework of group beliefs (2005-2018). The results indicate an overall trend of in-group criticism towards peace organisations in Israel, based on which suggestions for advances to the theory are made