%0 Journal Article
%T Building cooperation through health initiatives: an Arab and Israeli case study
%A Harvey A Skinner
%A Abi Sriharan
%J Conflict and Health
%D 2007
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1752-1505-1-8
%X A case study method was used involving 12 key informants stratified by country (3 Israeli, 3 Jordanian, 3 Palestinian, 3 Canadian). In-depth interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using an inductive qualitative approach to derive key themes.Major reasons for getting involved included: concern over an important health problem, curiosity about neighbors and opportunities for professional advancement. Participants were attracted to prospects for opening the dialogue, building relationships and facilitating cooperation in the region. The political situation was a major challenge that delayed implementation of the project and placed participants under social pressure. Among lessons learned, fostering personal relationships was viewed as critical for success of this initiative.Arab and Israeli health professionals were prepared to get involved for two types of reasons: a) Project Level: opportunity to address a significant health issue (e.g. congenital hearing loss) while enhancing their professional careers, and b) Meta Level: concern about taking positive steps for building cooperation in the region. We invite discussion about roles that health professionals can play in building "cooperation networks" for underpinning health security, conflict resolution and global health promotion."When I went to Nicosia, I was like, why am I going? I mean, what's going to happen? I mean, why is anybody even bothering? Do these people still believe in such things? I have lots of questions going on and when we reached there and we talked, it was like being in a dream, you know. You see Israelis that are willing still to help Palestinians, I am seeing Palestinians that are still willing to hear Israelis". (P6)Participant at the first CISEPO Middle East international research conference, Nicosia, Cyprus, October 23¨C24, 2002.As this quotation illustrates, bringing people together from a conflicted region to work on a common initiative can have a transformative impact. The
%U http://www.conflictandhealth.com/content/1/1/8