Action
Individuals and groups have an identity need to take meaningful, significant action (Redekop, 2002), to react to a situation as they perceive it to be. Since action is a matter of free will, it implies control over the immediate social and physical environment. In situations of powerlessness, individuals and groups will want to take action to correct and empower (Redekop, 2002). If we lose the freedom to act, we can experience strong emotions and a sustained threat to action can lead to depression. Alternatively, depression can create the need for action (Redekop, 2002). ​

​

In protracted conflicts, actions are not thought out and only acted upon. As action implies a conscious display of a sense of self-worth, taking action to regain self-esteem increases our capacity to become a meaningful actor. Alternatively, a diminished capacity for acting diminishes self-esteem (Redekop, 2002).

​

Both Israelis and Palestinians have a need for action generally tied to violence towards the other group as a form of revenge for past violence perpetrated against their group. Palestinians will avenge the killing of one of their leaders or civilians by attempting to kill Israeli soldiers or civilians. Israeli soldiers will violently handle Palestinians who they believe are guilty of a major or minor crime. Both collective groups when hearing about the suffering of the other, feel a sense that justice has been delivered through the actions of the army or combatants.

​

However the goal of actions is not always towards violence. There are both Israelis and Palestinians who attempt to reach out to the other group and feel a need for positive action related to the conflict. This tends to occur openly more often with Israelis than Palestinians as Palestinians who have little power in the conflict feel that positive actions that impact Israelis are taboo; however, there are many Palestinians who do overcome this societal taboo.