Et si le chemin vers la paix commençait par l'intérêt personnel ? Après quarante ans passés au cœur de certains des conflits les plus meurtriers de la planète, la médiatrice Hiba Qasas est arrivée à une conclusion : la plupart des efforts de paix se trompent dès le départ. Elle défend une thèse qui dérange — la réconciliation ne devrait pas commencer par l'empathie — et explique comment miser sur des intérêts communs a conduit des centaines de dirigeants israéliens et palestiniens à travailler activement ensemble, jusque dans les pires moments de la guerre.

L'ingrédient manquant de tout accord de paix

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.