Civil society and the legitimacy war to transform conflict in in Palestine
The traditional approach for conflict transformation in Palestine centered on governmental actions has been proven to be a complete failure. The lack of accountability, impunity and complicity with the Israeli apartheid system from the main international actors are huge barriers for any conflict transformation initiatives in Palestine. The international community has lost its legitimacy as peace builder in Palestine due to its incapability for implementing justice.
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
Meanwhile, civil society has taken an important role transforming the situation, promoting successful changes leaded by people’s actions based on an internal popular-nonviolent resistance and a strengthened international solidarity movement, focused mainly in the Boycott, Disinvestments and Sanctions (BDS) actions.
1. Leading Peace-building in Palestine: Actions of people vs. actions of governments
International community has been pushing for a diplomatic and negotiated solution to the conflict, but Palestinians hope for a just and lasting peace which should not rest on the outcome of formal diplomacy. The failure of Israel to withdrawal and implement the UNSCR 242 in 1967, the no-response to the 1988 PLO acceptance of 1967 borders or the continuous expansion of settlements are just few examples of the lack of political commitment (and the lack of consequences) towards a politically negotiated peace. We cannot talk about peace building in Palestine without talking about justice: peace should not be defined as the absence of war but as the presence of justice. The Israeli promotion of an apartheid system together with a total lack of accountability for the crimes committed and the silence of the main political actors are huge barriers for any conflict transformation initiatives in the Middle East. The international community and policy makers have failed in making perpetrators accountable for their crimes, creating within the Palestinian civil society a climate of distrust towards these political bodies and international institutions. <spanclass=”pulquote”> It is time to change the traditional focus of policy discussion centered on the role of governments and their legitimacy for designing peace-building interventions and switch to a civil society centered approach.
2. Civil Society as active player in conflict resolution
Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine
Best prospect for Palestinian self-determination will come from a movement from below; combining popular resistance with international solidarity, in something the Richard Falk has called “legitimacy war”. Legitimacy War strategy seeks popular mobilization on the basis of nonviolent coercion to achieve political goals, relying on the relevance of international law and the accountability of those that act on behalf of states in the commission of crimes of state. Important changes have been achieved in the last few years. Changes promoted by people’s actions based on an internal popular-nonviolent resistance and a strengthened international solidarity movement focused mainly in the BDS actions. The recent UN and the EU calls to their member states to reconsider investments or business agreements with companies located in settlements in the West Bank, considered illegal within IHL are some examples of how civil society promoted actions managed to enforce IHL, promoting justice and building peace. 
