Holy Hotbed: Transgenerational Trauma Transmission in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

A phenomenological research study was conducted to assess the impact of Transgenerational Trauma Transmission (TTT) in Israelis and Palestinians who live amidst the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. The history of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and the Israeli (Jewish) and Palestinian (Muslim) eschatological viewpoints were also investigated for impact. Ten Israeli adults in Jerusalem and seven Palestinian adults throughout the West Bank (N = 17) between the ages of 18 and 35 participated in hour-long qualitative interviews with questions that assessed TTT and religious/eschatological beliefs. After collection and data analysis that included NVivo, seven themes were identified among the participants: (a) those dealing with TTT do not recognize their trauma as clinically significant; (b) those dealing with TTT display behavioral changes and negative somatic manifestations rather than psychological symptoms; (c) those dealing with TTT have loss of faith; (d) those dealing with TTT have relational barriers with those belonging to the group that their elders have had conflict with; (e) those dealing with TTT do not necessarily hate those belonging to the group that their elders have had conflict with; (f) Israelis and Palestinians have contempt for the conflict and resentment towards those in authority who exacerbate the conflict; and (g) Israelis and Palestinians do not believe there is a solution to the conflict that does not involve war. This study prompted three takeaways for future research: (1) there needs to be a stronger distinction between Israelis/Palestinians’ settlement, educational, and military experiences; (2) physical manifestations of trauma ought to be assessed as fully as mental symptoms; and (3) psychosocial gaps should be examined in regards to both the individual participant as well as the participant’s immediate community environment.