On Reconciliation

All conflicts end. It’s in their nature. The only question is how much time and how many lives will be lost, and when the hard but necessary work of healing begins. Maya Savir, an Israeli professional in humanitarian and development work and peacebuilding, and a mother, spent years working in Rwanda and South Africa, countries that went through successful reconciliation processes many had thought impossible. In this book, she dares to ask whether what she observed and learned there can be applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Reconciliation is an artichoke. It’s not an onion, made up of layer upon layer you peel away until nothing is left. It has layers, yes, but at its center is a heart. This book peels away those characteristics that are not essential for reconciliation until all that is left is the heart. But before examining this heart, we take a close look at the outer layers in specific conflicts, because although they vary with context and may not all be necessary to bring about reconciliation, they are among the most noble and inspiring human expressions and can be part of the dynamics of reconciliation. 

Savir invites readers to explore this process of reconciliation candidly and soberly, showing what it takes for peacemaking and restoration to unfold between peoples and within individuals after conflicts. She leads the reader on this journey with compassion, intellectual precision, literary skill, and conviction. Though healing is difficult to imagine in the wake of October 7 and the war in Gaza, On Reconciliation helps us to reconsider the limits of what is possible.

Maya Savir speaks the language of humanity, empathy, and equality. Her voice rises above divisions, carrying the stories of hope and healing in the most dire of situations. ―Aziz Abu Sarah, Palestinian peace activist and coauthor of The Future Is Peace

This is an extremely important book in the literature of peace, not just in the Middle East, but in our own broken hearts. Maya Savir has written a compelling argument for peaceful engagement. —Colum McCann, author, Let the Great World Spin and Apeirogon: A Novel

On Reconciliation opens a window of light and hope in a reality that is hard, almost unbearable. It reminds us that reconciliation is not a weakness but a brave and necessary action. ―Ayman Odeh, Palestinian Israeli lawyer, Knesset member and leader of the Hadash alliance