Of course, students need to be aware there is a “Jewish story” and an “Arab story”, as Michael Davies’ article points out (Education, 6 October), just as they need to be aware there are always different narratives in conflict situations, like colonialism. The question is, why does one narrative triumph and the other fail to gain even a proper hearing, or simply become lost to recoverable history? The answer is that conflict narratives are constructs of power and powerlessness. The issue about Israel and Palestine and their Jews and Arabs (to say nothing of their Christians) is which of these narratives about 1948 and 1967 determines how the power structure works and for whose benefit on a daily basis, and why the other narrative is unable to effectively challenge and change this decision-making process.
Dr Robert Smith
High Littleton, Somerset
