Connectedness​

Connectedness includes the ideas of belonging, community, language, culture, tribe, and land; a feeling of being attached to a place, person, group or belief system (Redekop, 2002). Connectedness is how we pass on culture and the stories of who we are as individuals and collective groups (Redekop, 2002). Through connectedness we learn about shared goals, values, meaning, traditions, and ideas, which extends across the generations. Connecting implies feelings of being understood and safe (Redekop, 2002). There is profound personal connection establishing a connection with another person. Alternatively, prolonged lack of connection can result in feelings of alienation. When fundamental needs are threatened as is often the case in situations of prolonged conflict, individuals turn to the groups most likely to preserve them. This can occur when a traumatic event occurs such as a death of a loved one which results in sadness and grief. An individual’s or group’s connections to others are the coping mechanism to deal with traumatic events.
    
Both Israelis and Palestinians have a devout sense of connectedness to their own people. Both peoples will generally prefer to live amongst, befriend and do business with their own. Each speaks a different language, has different (although similar) social customs, and has different religious beliefs, cultures and mentalities. Each inhabits a sphere of influence, an orientation toward their own people especially in times of stress. For example, during the Second Lebanese War, Palestinian Israeli towns were being bombed by fellow Arabs from Lebanon with resulting deaths and injuries; however publicly, many Israeli Palestinians denounced the Israeli side for having started the war and would not publicly blame fellow Arabs.