Danger Geist Books

A phenomenological research study assessed the impact of Transgenerational Trauma Transmission (TTT) among Israelis and Palestinians living in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, while also exploring the influence of their respective eschatological beliefs. Seventeen participants, including ten Israelis from Jerusalem and seven Palestinians from the West Bank, aged 18 to 35, engaged in hour-long qualitative interviews focused on TTT and religious beliefs. Data analysis using NVivo revealed seven themes: (a) individuals often do not recognize their trauma as clinically significant; (b) they exhibit behavioral changes and negative somatic symptoms rather than psychological ones; (c) there is a noticeable loss of faith; (d) relational barriers exist with those from opposing groups; (e) participants do not necessarily harbor hatred for those their elders conflicted with; (f) both groups express contempt for the ongoing conflict and resentment towards authorities exacerbating it; and (g) there is a prevailing belief that a solution to the conflict is unattainable without war. The study suggests three key takeaways for future research: (1) a clearer distinction is needed between the experiences of Israelis and Palestinians; (2) both physical and mental manifestations of trauma should be fully assessed; and (3) psychosocial gaps should be explored within the context of individual participants and their communities.