Yedioth Ahronoth: Let them win… The Palestinians aren’t going anywhere and Israel’s complete victory is a dangerous illusion

Israeli-American professor and author Dan Ariely published a striking article at the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, warning of the danger for seeking a complete victory over the Palestinians.

Ariely argued that this approach will only lead to more ongoing conflict and violence.

Ariely explained that thinking about the future requires moving away from the logic of humiliation or trying to completely crush the other party, emphasizing that true power lies not in complete victory, but in greatness and the ability to make others feel that they have won.

He pointed out that giving the other party a sense of victory would open the door to improving relationships in the future, saying, “When the other person feels they have won, there is a greater chance that they will feel better about you from that point on, which leads to building a better relationship”.

In his article, Ariely asks, “Is complete victory the right path? Is humiliation the right way?”

He answers emphatically, “In my opinion, no… This isn’t the right solution at all”.

Ariely supports his opinion with historical experience, citing what happened to Germany after World War I, saying, “Germany’s humiliation after World War I led directly to World War II… These are lessons we must learn from”.

Arieli emphasized that the Palestinians won’t go anywhere, Hamas will remain in one form or another, and Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran will remain our neighbors.

He added, “the pursuit of complete victory is nothing more than an attempt to humiliate the other side, and this is a completely false vision”.

He believed that any such victory would give Israelis a temporary sense of satisfaction, but in the long run, it would create more hatred and revenge, and lay the groundwork for more wars.

Ariely concluded by saying that the lack of a complete victory in sight is a positive thing.

It’s an opportunity to forge a solution that will last over time.

The real victory will lie in our ability to be strong enough to make the other side feel victorious.

Only then can we mitigate the sense of humiliation and pave the way for a stable, long-term agreement.