Case Study Explores Efficacy of IPNP

By — on / Middle East Negotiation Initiatives, The Israeli Palestinian Negotiating Partners (IPNP)

The mission statement of the Israeli Palestinian Negotiating Partners (IPNP) is “To increase the effectiveness of the Israeli Palestinian negotiations and dialogue process by creating a network of negotiators, developing and disseminating common negotiation tools and methodologies, and encouraging a language and constructive culture of negotiation.”

But how effective has this effort been?

James Sebenius and Shula Gilad recently recently wrote a comprehensive case study, based on interviews with IPNP members and analysis of past events, in order to examine the efficacy of the network’s events and to suggest future strategy, institutional changes and activities.

Abstract below:

“A network of influential Israelis and Palestinians, jointly trained in negotiation at Harvard since 2002, faces organizational, strategic, and funding challenges in 2010. Unlike “people-to-people” or “Track II” initiatives, the Israeli-Palestinian Negotiating Partners (IPNP) consists of relatively senior people on both sides of the conflict who have undergone advanced negotiation training together and now constitute a unique network in the region. IPNP’s academic sponsor, the Harvard Negotiation Project, is helping to assess this unique negotiation initiative and to assist the organization to conduct a basic re-assessment in the face of changes in regional politics, the conflict, and the funding environment.”

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
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