Description
How do political-religious attitudes influence views on militancy in protracted conflicts? This article examines findings from a survey of 2,171 participants conducted in Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia between November 15, 2015, and March 10, 2016. Results indicate that, among both Arabs and Israeli Jews, emotions and threat perception mediate the link between political-religious and militant attitudes. Specifically, political-religious beliefs foster perceptions of the opposing side as a threat and generate negative emotions toward them, which, in turn, encourage militant attitudes. The findings suggest that Arab participants exhibit a more militant stance regarding the conflict. A case-by-case analysis reveals that, among Palestinians and Israeli Jews, political-religious attitudes are more closely associated with hate than with other emotions, subsequently reinforcing militant perspectives. Among Palestinians, these attitudes may be influenced by their position in an occupied territory, their experiences with asymmetrical power dynamics, and their exposure to ongoing violence.
