What if the path to peace starts with self-interest? After four decades inside some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones, mediator Hiba Qasas has learned that most peacebuilding efforts get it wrong from the start. She makes a provocative case that conciliation shouldn't begin with empathy — and reveals how leading with shared incentives brought hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian leaders into active collaboration, even in the midst of war.

The missing ingredient in every peace deal

Most peace efforts fail because they start with empathy or ideology, not the real drivers of change. One in four people today lives in conflict, and even signed deals often break down within five years. Sustainable peace requires aligning power, incentives, and legitimacy through a process grounded in shared self-interest. By building coalitions among those with influence and focusing on what both sides cannot afford to lose, dialogue shifts from empty process to pragmatic progress.

Peace Begins With Self-Interest, Not Empathy Or Ideals

Most peace efforts stall because they focus on process and empathy instead of confronting raw self-interest and power. One in four people worldwide lives amid conflict, yet many peace deals collapse within five years when legitimacy and trust are missing. Bringing together Israeli and Palestinian leaders after October 7, collaboration only began when both sides acknowledged what they could not afford to lose—security, dignity, and their children’s futures. Sustainable peace arises from principled pragmatism, uniting even fierce rivals around common incentives before seeking deeper understanding.

Lasting Peace Begins With Shared Self-Interest, Not Empathy

Most peace efforts fail because they rely on idealistic processes and overlook the reality that people trust legitimacy, not bureaucracy. Even after signed agreements, violence often returns within five years, as seen in the Middle East and Afghanistan. By starting with shared self-interest rather than empathy, unlikely coalitions of Israeli and Palestinian leaders have begun to collaborate, even during war. Common ground forms when people recognize what they cannot afford to lose: security, dignity, and their children's future.