All conflicts end. It’s in their nature. The only question is how much time and how many lives will be lost, and when the hard but necessary work of healing begins. Maya Savir, an Israeli professional in humanitarian and development work and peacebuilding, and a mother, spent years working in Rwanda and South Africa, countries that went through successful reconciliation processes many had thought impossible. In this book, she dares to ask whether what she observed and learned there can be applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Reconciliation is an artichoke. It’s not an onion, made up of layer upon layer you peel away until nothing is left. It has layers, yes, but at its center is a heart. This book peels away those characteristics that are not essential for reconciliation until all that is left is the heart. But before examining this heart, we take a close look at the outer layers in specific conflicts, because although they vary with context and may not all be necessary to bring about reconciliation, they are among the most noble and inspiring human expressions and can be part of the dynamics of reconciliation. 

Savir invites readers to explore this process of reconciliation candidly and soberly, showing what it takes for peacemaking and restoration to unfold between peoples and within individuals after conflicts. She leads the reader on this journey with compassion, intellectual precision, literary skill, and conviction. Though healing is difficult to imagine in the wake of October 7 and the war in Gaza, ON RECONCILIATION helps us to reconsider the limits of what is possible.

Rights sold:

World English: Plough; Israel: Afik

​Reviews:

“Maya speaks the language of reconciliation, humanity, empathy and equality. Her voice rises above divisions, carrying the stories of hope and healing in the most dire of situations. In a world often torn by conflict, she reminds us that another way is possible. She is not just a witness. She is a partner in our shared journey toward justice, healing and peace." ―Aziz Abu Sarah, author, cultural educator and entrepreneur, coauthor of THE FUTURE IS PEACE

“ON RECONCILIATION opens a window of light and hope in a reality that is hard, almost unbearable. It reminds us that reconciliation is not a weakness but a brave and necessary action. Savir invites us to observe the importance of reconciliation not only between nations but also within each nation, and demonstrates that it is possible to turn despair to hope. For Savir, writing is not only a tool, it is a vehicle for change. She writes from her soul, and this soul guides us to the most painful places, where she insists on seeking reconciliation between her Jewish nation and my Palestinian nation." ―Ayman Odeh, Arab Israeli lawyer and politician, a member of Knesset and leader of the “Hadash" alliance

"Maya Savir has written a sober and necessary book, marked by unusual candor about her own society. She does not turn away from grief or from what justice and responsibility would actually require, and treats reconciliation as unsentimental, morally serious work: the hard, holy labor of learning to live together before all wounds have healed." —Yahia Lababidi, author of IF YOU CANNOT SAY GENOCIDE

"In this thoughtful and deeply reflective book, Maya Savir confronts one of the most difficult challenges facing Israelis and Palestinians: how a future beyond war, occupation, and genocide might one day become imaginable. While reconciliation cannot be divorced from the hard political work of securing freedom, equality, and rights for all who live between the river and the sea, Savir reminds us that political change alone cannot heal the wounds of generations of violence and dispossession. Drawing on lessons from South Africa and Rwanda, she offers a compelling reflection on what it takes to acknowledge harm, confront trauma, and create the possibility of a shared future." —Sarah Leah Whitson, co-author of FROM APARTHEID TO DEMOCRACY: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine

“I have a dream. I dream that this book will be taught in high schools, in seminars, in government. Maya Savir's work is a lesson in the history of conflicts, in a citizenry that strives to improve the lives of both the individual and the majority, in a humane approach, in intelligent politics, in a commitment to a common future…I have a dream that those in government will stop being afraid of what was and of what will no longer be. Savir’s prose is straightforward, elegant and objective, as though she is observing research. ….” ―Maariv

“The encounters, the conversations, the characters, the descriptions and the insights Savir presents here are fascinating and thought-provoking. They are often shocking – particularly the testimonies of the horrendous acts in Rwanda and the torture and violence in Apartheid South Africa. Savir somehow brings forth the stories gently but without sugar-coating them, in a clear and confident tone, and with humility.” ―Globe