The Value of Listening in Peace Negotiations

Raphael Cohen-Almagor, D.Phil.

Director (Academic Division),
Global Listening Centre. Professor & Founding
Director of The Middle East Study Group at University of Hull, UK. President of The Association
for Israel Studies (AIS). Visiting Professor Johns
Hopkins University, US.

“We are stronger when we listen, and smarter when we share”. – Rania Al-Abdullah

Introduction

As a peace researcher, I have conducted numerous discussions and interviews—105 and counting—with senior peace negotiators and decision-makers, including presidents (Navon, Peres, Weizman), prime ministers (Barak, Olmert, Fayyad), deputy prime ministers (Muasher, Meridor), royalty (Prince Hassan Ben-Talal, Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud), foreign ministers (BenAmi, Livni), and senior diplomats. My research is also based on original documents from archives in Oslo, London, Washington, and Jerusalem. This interdisciplinary project, spanning the fields of peace, conflict resolution, international relations, and diplomacy, aims to: (1) develop a comprehensive theoretical framework for conflict resolution, (2) apply this framework to a detailed analysis of peace mediation, facilitation, and negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from the start of the Oslo process in 1993 to the present day, (3) provide original insights into key peace junctions between the two parties, (4) outline the keys to successful negotiations, mediation, and facilitation, and (5) offer possible solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ultimately, the project aims to identify key factors for successful future negotiations.

This paper focuses on the value of listening in peace negotiations, a skill central to building empathy and understanding in the often-fraught context of international conflict resolution.

The Importance of Listening

Meir Ben-Shabbat, former head of the Israeli National Security Council, observed that in the Middle East, negotiations are not driven solely by interests but are also heavily influenced by sentiment. Sentiment played a pivotal role in the normalization accords between Israel and Morocco2. However, during the Camp David 2000 negotiations, when Ehud Barak explained to Yasser Arafat the political constraints he faced as the leader of a fragile coalition government, Arafat showed little interest in listening, let alone empathizing with Barak’s position.

Scholars like Fisher and Ury3, Kelman4 and Zartman5 stress the importance of understanding emotions in negotiations—both one’s own and those of the counterpart. They argue that successful conflict resolution hinges on building a working relationship where empathy plays a central role. Empathy is crucial in asymmetrical negotiations, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where both parties have deeply entrenched fears and emotions regarding their existence and future. Israelis and Palestinians alike have developed powerful emotional narratives that shape the way they approach negotiations, and these emotions must be acknowledged if meaningful progress is to be made.

Fisher and Ury also advise focusing on interests rather than positions. The 1978 Egypt-Israel peace treaty at Camp David illustrates the power of this approach. Initially, Israel and Egypt had seemingly incompatible positions—Israel sought to retain part of Sinai, while Egypt demanded full sovereignty. However, by identifying their respective interests, a mutually acceptable solution was found.

The Fisher and Ury model of negotiation further emphasizes the following principles:

– Make demands concrete without underestimating the other side’s interests.
– Attack the problem, not the people. Listen with respect, express appreciation for the other’s time and effort, and ensure that the other’s basic needs are addressed.
– Generate a variety of options before settling on an agreement.
– Communication is vital, but there are common barriers: misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and insufficient attention.
– Insist that agreements be based on objective criteria, and avoid threats, as they must be credibly communicated to be effective.

Learning from Past Negotiations

One of the key lessons from successful negotiations, as Jonathan Powell argues, is the importance of having experienced negotiators who can draw from past successful examples. For instance, South African negotiators played a crucial role in facilitating the Northern Ireland peace process by sharing their experiences with the conflict parties. Powell later applied these lessons to negotiations in Colombia and Spain. However, the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have often been marked by a reluctance to listen to external advice. When Tony Blair offered to help Prime Minister Ariel Sharon based on his experience in Northern Ireland, Sharon’s response was dismissive, highlighting the Israeli reluctance to listen to outside perspectives.

Key Qualities of Successful Negotiators

Effective negotiators, mediators, and facilitators must possess certain key qualities:

Listening Skills: Leaders often prefer to speak, as it allows them to set the tone and control the narrative. However, meaningful negotiations require a balance between speaking and listening. Negotiators must be present and engaged, focused on understanding their counterpart’s position without preparing a response while the other is speaking. True listening involves not only hearing words but actively engaging with the underlying meanings and emotions. Buddha said, “If your mouth is opened, you are not learning” . In negotiations, the ability to listen is crucial for generating goodwill and fostering a climate of mutual respect.

For instance, Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s failure to listen attentively to Chairperson of the PLO Yasser Arafat’s convoluted arguments at Camp David was perceived by Arafat as disrespect, undermining the potential for a productive negotiation. Had Barak been more patient and receptive, the negotiation dynamics might have been different. Barak lacked the patience to listen to the Chairperson of the PLO, Yasser Arafat’s, stories and convoluted argumentation, and therefore, he refused to listen to him.9 This did not play out well. Arafat perceived this as a sign of disrespect his willingness to strike a deal eroded with time because he felt that Barak dishonored him.

True listening requires an ability to open oneself to learning. Listening does not mean accepting. However, at the very least, negotiators who listen better understand the reasons for disagreements. Interpersonal communication practices such as active listening and direct eye contact can be helpful, especially when one’s counterpart holds a very different worldview. While these skills do not assure a smooth process, they can pave the way to a better understanding of each other.

Listening requires paying close attention to what the other party is saying. This is why it is important that in each delegation, one person has a designated role to listen. That person should not be preoccupied with anything else. That person does not negotiate. That person is there to fathom the underlying interests of the other and to convey his thoughts to his team. Listening takes effort and energy. United States Secretary of State Dean Rusk said the most valuable element of diplomacy in general was the ability to listen with discernment.

If the interlocutors are unable to listen attentively, their words will cross each other without anchoring. Both parties need to understand that they will not have their own needs addressed unless they are prepared to address the other side’s needs. There has to be a readiness to be open to the other side, understanding that one will not have one’s needs addressed unless the other side’s needs are addressed. Both parties need to understand not only their problems, but also the problems of the other party.

Negotiate in good faith: Successful negotiations require that both parties come to the table with sincerity and honesty. Kant wrote: “No peace treaty is valid if it was made with mental reservations that could lead to a future war.” For key figures like Hiba Husseini and Aharon Barak, good faith in negotiations is vital. Legal advisor to the PLO Husseini says that knowing that there is a genuine will to reach an agreement is important. It is imperative to make a genuine and serious effort to reach an agreement that will have a lasting effect.12 Former legal advisor to PM Menachem Begin at Camp David in 1978, Aharon Barak, explained that if one party tricks the other, or if one of the parties does not conduct the negotiations openly, the negotiations will not hold water. At some point, the other party will find out what went on, lose trust, and not comply.13 In Camp David 2000, there were considerable doubts about whether the Palestinians came in good faith. American peace legal advisor Jonathan Schwartz commented that Israel often controlled the information about an issue under negotiation (for example, water resources). Israel saw this as part of its bargaining leverage. However, withholding key information gives rise to suspicion and perhaps inflated demands by the other side. It also undermines the idea that the parties will work in good faith post-agreement to implement provisions. That does not mean that negotiators need to reveal all the information that is uniquely available to their side but it is a step that should be considered wherever possible.

Create a conducive environment: Facilitators must create an environment where both parties feel comfortable and can communicate as human beings, not just as negotiators. Informal settings, such as dinners or social gatherings, can provide opportunities for delegates to build rapport outside of the formal negotiation framework. This humanizing process can break down barriers and foster mutual understanding.

Pa r Nuder spoke of the need to create an environment between the parties where they can step out of their professional roles and speak to each other as human beings who have families.14 In the negotiations, the atmosphere should be conducive to open communication rather than shutting people down. There are opportunities, whether it is dinners, lunches, or breakfasts, to develop personal relationships. Leisure activities for the delegations should be planned so the people can get to know one another in their day-to-day capacities, not only as professional negotiators.

Negotiations are about human relations. Simple positive steps yield a positive atmosphere and goodwill, viewing the other as a human being who wants similar things to one’s wishes. The closer you can come to each other, the easier it is to connect and understand each other’s core issues. When the interlocutors create an atmosphere where they can put all the cards on the table, they come closer to finding solutions.

When Chief peace negotiator in Oslo and senior advisor to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Joel Singer, negotiated the 1995 Interim Agreement with Arafat’s chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, he always made a point of having their one-on-one meetings alternate between Erekat’s office in Jericho and a hotel in Tel Aviv. When they met in Cairo, they always stayed in two separate hotels. There, Singer most often came to meet Erekat in his hotel. Singer thought that this gesture would bear fruit. Indeed, Erekat developed a cordial relationship with Singer, despite his aggressive demeanor with others. Notwithstanding, when Singer retired from the Foreign Ministry, Erekat held a farewell party for Singer in his Jericho house.

After consulting with the leaders, organisers of meetings should consider inviting leaders’ spouses and issue such invitations if they deem such invitations beneficial and of positive contribution to the summit’s success.

Conclusion

Achieving peace requires more than just addressing material interests—it requires an understanding of the moral frameworks, interests, and emotional dynamics that underlie each party’s position. Negotiators must develop the capacity to listen attentively, reflect critically on the other side’s interests, and be open to learning from each other’s perspectives. Only by fostering mutual understanding and empathy can both sides begin to bridge their differences and lay the groundwork for lasting peace. Listening, therefore, is not merely a passive activity but a vital skill that enables negotiators to navigate the complexities of conflict resolution effectively.

References

1 Raphael Cohen-Almagor received his doctorate from the University of Oxford. He is Chair in Politics, Founding Director of the Middle East Study Centre (MESC), University of Hull; Fellow at The Israel Institute for Advanced Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and President of The Association for Israel Studies (AIS). Raphael was the Yitzhak RabinFulbright Visiting Professor at UCLA School of Law and Department of Communication; Visiting Professor at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University; Fellow at The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (twice); Distinguished Visiting Professor to the Faculty of Laws, University College London, and The 2023 Olof Palme Visiting Professor, Lund University, Sweden. Raphael is the author of hundreds of publications in politics, ethics, law, philosophy, sociology, history and education, including The Boundaries of Liberty and Tolerance (1994), The Right to Die with Dignity (2001), Euthanasia in The Netherlands (2004), Speech, Media and Ethics (2005), The Scope of Tolerance (2006), The Democratic Catch (2007), Confronting the Internet’s Dark Side (2015), Just, Reasonable Multiculturalism (2021), and The Republic, Secularism and Security: France versus the Burqa and the Niqab (2022). Presently, Raphael is completing his book Resolving the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: A Critical Study of Peace Mediation, Facilitation and Negotiations between Israel and the PLO (forthcoming CUP). 2 Barak Ravid, Trump’s Peace (Rishon LeZion: Yedioth Ahronoth, 2022) (Hebrew): 304. 3 Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes: negotiating agreement without giving in (London: Random House, 1991). 4 Herbert C. Kelman, Resolving Deep-Rooted Conflicts Political Psychology, 8(3) (1987): 347-363; H.C. Kel man, “Acknowledging the Other’s Nationhood: How to Create a Momentum for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations”, Journal of Palestine Studies, 22(1) (Autumn 1992): 18-38; H.C. Kelman, “Some Determinants of the Oslo Breakthrough”, International Negotiation, 2 (1997): 183-194; H.C. Kelman, “The Israeli– Palestinian Peace Process and Its Vicissitudes”, American Psychologist, 62(4) (May–June 2007): 287–303. 5 I. William Zartman, Negotiation and Conflict Management: Essays on Theory and Practice (London: Routledge, 2007) and Ripe for Resolution (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989). 6 Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes: negotiating agreement without giving in. 7 Interview with conflict resolution expert and advisor to Tony Blair Jonathan Powell (20 July 2022), p. 11. 8 Guatama Buddha Quotes, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/ authorquotes 9 Interview with PM Ehud Barak (11 July 2022). 10 Interviews with peace negotiator and advisor to Chairman (London: Routledge, 2020); H.C. Kelman, “The Political Psychology of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: How can we overcome the barriers to a negotiated solution?”, Arafat and President Abbas Hussein Agha (5 April 2019); former Head of SHABAC (Israel Internal Security) Ami Ayalon (28 June 2022), former Deputy Head of the SHABAC and senior peace negotiator Israel Hasson (23 May 2013), and American peace negotiator Martin Indyk (9 August 2022). 11 Jeffrey R. Seul, “Mediating Across Worldviews”, in Catherine Turner and Martin Wa hlisch (eds.), Rethinking Peace Mediation (Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2021): 203-226, at 208. 12 Interview with Hiba Husseini (24 December 2024), p. 19. 13 R. Cohen-Almagor, “Lessons from the Israeli-Egyptian Peace Talks: An Interview with Aharon Barak”, Israel Studies Review, 34(2) (Autumn 2019): 1–32. See also James K. Sebenius, Kissinger the Negotiator (New York: Harper, 2018): 224. 14 Interview with State Secretary and Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Go ran Persson Pa r Nuder (20 August 2019), p. 14.