Is peace becoming obsolete? The Kibbutz Be’eri file

Abstract

This article examines the disappearance of the liberal peace paradigm. I examine how peace itself ceases to exist by drawing on the case of Kibbutz Be’eri, long associated with Israel's peace camp and known for its close ties with residents of Gaza, in which dozens of residents were killed or taken hostage, and its response to the October 7 massacre. The Be’eri residents were confronted with a triple shock: (a) the sudden and unexpected massacre; (b) the profound break of trust and feelings of abandonment from the state; and (c) the failure of their core belief in the liberal peace paradigm. I argue that three interconnected features – Trump's version of peace that excludes peace; the state-led projects of narratives of resilience, bravery, and heroism; and the Be’eri residents’ public disclosure of pain – made (liberal) peace obsolete and ousted it from the political horizon.