The Gun and the Olive Branch Palestinian Armed Struggle and the Peace Process, 1967-2025

This session covers the history of the Palestinian national movement from the Six-Day War of June 1967 until the present day. Professor Kevin Jones will cover four key thematic questions: (1) How did the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) justify its use of violence, including attacks on Jewish civilians and airplane hijacking, and how “successful” were these strategies of warfare and terrorism? (2) Given the widespread popular support among both Palestinians and Israelis for the idea of a two-state solution endorsed by the Oslo Accords, why did the Peace Process ultimately fail? (3) Why did Palestinian public opinion gradually shift away from secular political movements like the PLO and toward religious movements like Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the 1990s and 2000s? (4) What did Hamas hope to accomplish with the high-profile attack of October 7th, 2023, and how is the ensuing war in Gaza likely to reshape the future of…