Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict with Janessa Gans Wilder

Wired For Impact

Former CIA analyst, Janessa Wilders, is the CEO and Founder of The Euphrates Institute, a peace-building organization promoting grassroots efforts to spread peace leadership. Her work with the CIA took her to Africa, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and helped garner a unique perspective on the Middle East. Having also spent time in Israel and Palestine, Janessa has a one-of-a-kind angle on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Show Notes:

When a conflict is full of heightened emotions, propaganda, and ulterior motives, how can we find the truth? CEO and Founder of The Euphrates Institute Janessa Wilders holds a unique perspective, having spent time in Israel and Palestine, learning about local communities and peace-building efforts. In this episode, Janessa talks about her work in the Middle East with the CIA, her time in Palestine, and how she established a peace-building organization. We discuss conspiracy theories, bad actors, dehumanization, and more. If you've been searching for nuanced coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, this episode is for you.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• The War in the Middle East
• Israel-Palestine Conflict
• The Problem With Conspiracy Theories

Find More of Janessa Wilders Here:

• euphrates.org

Full Episode Timestamps:

• 0:00:44 Janessa Wilders' Background With The CIA and Analyzing The Middle East
• 0:08:38 What Janessa Discovered About The Conflict in Iraq
• 0:11:40 Was the War in Iraq Worth It?
• 0:14:43 When Janessa Woke Up To The Problems of War
• 0:21:51 The Symbolic and Spiritual Significance of Water
• 0:25:57 The Israel-Palestinian Conflict
• 0:37:33 Are There Outside Parties Instigating The Israel-Palestinian Conflict
• 0:45:16 The Pros and Cons of Conspiracy Theories
• 0:52:58 How Grassroots and Peace-Building Organizations Have Helped Create Impact