How long is too long?

I had a great interview this weekend with Shadia Qubti, who works with Musalaha. Musalaha is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Since the interview I have been thinking about the effects of time on a conflict. If a conflict has been going on for a certain number of years/decades/centuries does that make it harder to end? How long is too long? 


When I was in the former Yugoslavia, several people told me that there would always be conflict between the people/countries in the region: that's the way it had always been, and that's the way it would always be. Similarly, Shadia told me that in her work it is hard to get buy-in from people because they believe the conflict is so deeply rooted that nothing will change. But she also said that she has personally seen change in herself and in the participants of Musalaha programs. And she noted that in other conflicts, such as those in South Africa or Ireland/Northern Ireland, there came a point at which people simply decided to try to change things. Of course these conflicts have not completely gone away, but certainly the situation in both of these places has become more peaceful over the past two decades. 


So I hope the same for Israelis and Palestinians. Although time may make a conflict stronger, I don't think that means that it is impossible to make peace. It may just take greater commitment.