Overcoming the Retributive Nature of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Laying the Groundwork

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 1-7

3. The Middle East Conflict: Origins, Evolution, and Attempts to Resolve

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 9-16

4. The Analytic Hierarchy Process: Beyond “Getting to Yes” in Conflict Resolution

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 17-29

5. Retributive Conflicts and the AHP: The Trading Mechanism

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 31-45

6. Structuring the Hierarchy to Make Trade-Offs: Benefits, Costs, Perceived Benefits, and Perceived Costs

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 47-71

7. Lessons Learned: The AHP Can Help Achieve Peace

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 73-81

8. The Pittsburgh Principles: Fair and Equitable Trade-Offs

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 83-89

9. Implementation of the Principles: Getting Down to Earth

   • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

   Pages 91-128

10. The Palestinian Refugee Problem: Compensation and Reparation Program

    • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

    Pages 129-157

11. Strategic Communications: Communicating Internally and Externally

    • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

    Pages 159-172

12. Looking Ahead

    • Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas, Amos Guiora

    Pages 173-181

This book presents an interdisciplinary approach to conflict solution focusing on a very specific type of conflict, retributive conflicts . It is unique in the treatment of these and how relative measurement is used to find equilibrium solutions. The authors present an alternative process to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They do so in two ways that are different from past efforts. The first is by formally structuring the conflict and the second is the manner in which discussions were conducted and conclusions drawn. The approach will help create a solution and provide negotiators with a unique pathway to consider the thorny issues and corresponding concessions underlying the deliberations, together with their implementation. 


The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) provides a way to conflict solution with the participation of negotiators for the parties. It is a positive approach that makes it possible to reason and express feelings and judgments with numerical intensities to derive priorities. With the assistance of panels of Israeli participants and Palestinian participants brought together in 2006 to 2017, AHP was applied for the first time in a group setting to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The process makes it clear that moderation in different degrees by both sides is essential to arrive at acceptable agreements on concessions proposed and agreed upon by both sides.

• Analytic hierarchy process
• AHP
• Middle East conflict
• Retributive conflicts
• Pittsburgh declaration of principles
• Oslo peace process
• South Africa
• Northern Ireland
• Peace processes
• West Bank
• Gaza Strip
• Two-state solution
• Palestinian authority
• Hamas
• Intifada
• Israel Defense Forces
• Six-day war
• Yom Kippur war
• Jewish settlements

“This book will become a classic and the go-to reference handbook for negotiating retributive conflicts using the AHP approach. … The book is nicely printed by Springer and is pleasant to read.” (Enrique Mu, International Journal of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, Vol. 13 (3), 2021)

• University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA

  Thomas L. Saaty, H. J. Zoffer, Luis G. Vargas

• SJ Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA

  Amos Guiora

Thomas L. Saaty (1926 – 2017) was a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Pittsburgh (USA), where he taught in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. Prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh, Saaty was a professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (USA) for 10 years. Before that he was working at the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency at the U.S. State Department. He was the architect of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and its generalization to complex decisions with dependence and feedback, the Analytic Network Process (ANP).

Luis G. Vargas is a Professor of Business Analytics and Operations at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business of the University of Pittsburgh (USA). His research focuses on decision theory, practical applications of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), artificial intelligence in manufacturing, the use of artificial intelligence techniques for scheduling, measurement of resource utilization, group decision making, Bayesian networks, and forecasting.



H. J. Zoffer served as dean of the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business of the University of Pittsburgh (USA) from 1968 to 1996, following a career in teaching and university administration. He is the author of a number of articles and books on such subjects as individual and group decision-making under risk, the social responsibility of business, continuing education for managers, business ethics, corporate risk analysis, accounting education, and improving institutional credibility. 

Amos Guiora is Professor of Law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, University of Utah. He teaches Criminal Procedure, International Law, Global Perspectives on Counterterrorism and Religion and Terrorism, incorporating innovative scenario-based instruction to address national and international security issues and dilemmas. He has published extensively on issues related to national security, limits of interrogation, religion and terrorism, the limits of power, multiculturalism and human rights. His latest book:  The Crime of Complicity: The Bystander in the Holocaust,  directly contributed to legislation ratified by the Utah Legislature in 2021 that criminalizes bystanders who do not intervene on behalf of children and vulnerable adults. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Brian King and sponsored by Sen. Kurt Bramble, enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support.

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