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עמוד:*79
* 79 That was the purpose of an Israeli - Palestinian dual narrative history project, which started in 2000 and endured for more than ten years . Initiating by an NGO, the participants of the project took part in a process that ultimately lead to the production of a history textbook, whereby the Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives appeared next to each other on the same page . They did not provide a common multi - perspective history but rather presented their two different and opposing versions of the past next to each other with a noticeable space between the texts . The space symbolically implied that in the midst of the conflict the two versions of history are not able to engage in a dialogue . It also suggested for the reader or the teacher to fill the space with comments and questions for further study . The idea of the dual narrative approach was that both sides would inform themselves of how the other side view the same historical events in its national narrative . The aim was acquaintance, not recognition, hoping that acquaintance, as a necessary first stage, would probably pave the way for later recognition . 31 Overall, such a project appeared as a "successful failure" . The very achievement to produce the book in a midst of a conflict seemed astounding . The international prizes that the project received, the large circulation of the book all over the world, the translation from Hebrew and Arabic to English and German, the media attention – all signified the uniqueness and originality of such an approach of history education . However, in both respective societies, the politicians condemned the attempt, publicly labeled the book as disgrace and abomination to the nation pride and values . Consequently, the ministries of education both in Israel and in the Palestinian authority banned the book and forbade using it in any form of history education . Despite this reaction, parallel narratives toward past events can be used even in conflict situations in history textbooks, historical museums, and other arenas of history education . In sum, multi - perspective approach is a promising trend, which holds key elements for creating a meaningful history education in post - conflict situations, by utilizing various angles to past event and thereby leading to reconciliation, tolerance and mutual acceptance . However, in most conflict situations, the conditions and circumstances do not enable the implementation of such version of history education . The examples of this essay demonstrate that it operated successfully only in an ideal post - conflict situation, and encountered many difficulties in other cases of apparently post - conflict . The move from a dichotomy of "post - conflict" vs . "in - conflict" into a "conflict spectrum" conceptual framework helps to implement multi - narrative new approaches of Eyal Naveh, “Recognition as Preamble to Reconciliation : A Two Narrative Approach in a 31 Palestinian - Israeli History Textbook”, Horizons Universities, 3, 4 ( 2007 ) , pp . 173 – 188 .
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אדמוני, אריאל
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