Oppressor or Protector? Changing Perceptions of Israel's Occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights

My research interests encompass four intertwined threads: firstly, narratives justifying the occupation because it safeguards negative peace (i.e., the absence of violence, as coined by Johan Galtung) relative to the neighboring war. Secondly, the perception of Israel's high state capacity (compared to Syria) and advanced public goods provision (regarding healthcare, education, vaccines, or pensions) as occupation-legitimizing factors. Thirdly, the impact of such occupation legitimizations in facilitating Israeli water exploitation and settler colonialism in the Golan, and shaping the discursive construction of hydropolitics and settlements. Fourthly, the role of the Jawlani community's collective memory of the 1967 war and of Israeli human rights violations in the Golan (as documented by Al-Marsad) in upholding perceptions of the occupation as oppressive.

Overseas fieldwork is a fundamental part of my research because I will need to conduct many interviews with members of the Jawlani community, and other relevant stakeholders in the Golan Heights, possibly including Israeli authorities and Israeli settlers. Furthermore, I intend to carry out surveys, and given that there are many elderly people in the region who do not use the internet, it will be necessary to physically distribute survey forms to some individuals. In addition to fieldwork, I am planning to take Hebrew language courses to improve my Hebrew skills, enabling me to read Hebrew literature and interact with Israeli stakeholders.