Understandings of nonviolence and violence: Joint Palestinian and international nonviolent resistance

This is the first study to explore the perceptions of nonviolence and violence held by International Solidarity Groups (ISGs) and Palestinians who have been collaborating in nonviolent resistance against the Israeli occupation since the beginning of the second Palestinian intifada in 2000. This study suggests ISGs can serve as a means toward equitable power relations in asymmetrical conflicts and thus aid in the resolution of such conflicts. Based on research data, I offer a new nonviolent method called 'Disassembly of Oppressive Structures' for the theoretical literature on nonviolence. Finally, I recommend that both ISGs and Palestinians do an assessment of the types of violence they are facing in the contexts in which they work, as well as how they can more effectively play their roles: Palestinians lead and Internationals support nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation.