PEACE FROM THE MIDDLE: EGYPT’S PRO-PEACE GROUPS, INTELLECTUALS AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT BETWEEN 1945 AND 2001

Abstract

This dissertation examines the contributions of Egyptian pro-peace groups and intellectuals to Arab-Israeli peace within the context of the Middle East's authoritarian backdrop. The Arab-Israeli conflict, one of the most protracted conflicts in modern history, has led to extensive casualties and displacements over the decades. Despite the global acknowledgment of the critical role that unofficial actors play in peace processes, their contributions to interstate peace in illiberal, non-democratic environments remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating how Egyptian pro-peace groups and intellectuals have contributed to Arab-Israeli peace. It comprehensively analyzes these groups' discursive and non-discursive contributions by employing a theoretical framework that integrates Lederach’s Middle Range Leaders Theory, Gramsci’s Theory of Organic Intellectuals, narrative and framing concepts. The investigation covers two generations of Egyptian peace activists (1945-1979 and 1979-2001), highlightingvarious forms of actions along with the narratives they developed and promoted. The findings reveal how the position of the Egyptian pro-peace and intercultural groups within the societal hierarchy has facilitated their contributions despite authoritarian constraints. Furthermore, the findings reveal multiple practical and theoretical implications as well as lessons for groups working in similar contexts.