Co-Creating Peace When You Can’t Meet: The Case of Gaza and the Sderot Region

Abstract

The Gaza Strip is often referred to as the most densely populated piece of land in the world with one of the poorest populations (UNRWA-Gaza, December 31, 2009). It was occupied by Israel in the Six Day/June War of 1967, when Israel defeated Egyptian forces, the country that had controlled the area since 1948. The territory, which is 360 square kilometers, has a population of slightly over 1.5 million—1.1 million of which are registered refugees (UNRWA-Gaza, December 31, 2009; The World Factbook, August 25, 2010). Although it is officially part of the Palestinian Authority, Gaza is completely separated geographically from the West Bank, and also politically separated since June 2007, when the Hamas violently took control from the Fatah.