Contesting discourse: Can deliberative democracy mitigate protracted ethnic conflict in Israel?

This paper examines the question of whether deliberative democratic processes can be used to effectively mitigate protracted ethnic conflict in Israel. By examining peacemaking strategies used in the past, it tries to explain why peace has been elusive in Israel and what steps must be taken in order to make the regime more legitimate as well as build a lasting peace. A constructivist approach is used to demonstrate the malleability of hardened identities as well as the opportunity for deliberation. While it is not sufficient to create a lasting peace, the paper concludes that through the deliberative democratic process of contesting discourse in public spheres, citizens can engage in meaningful dialogue. Over time this dialogue can contribute to more legitimate institutions and peaceful interactions among citizens.