Could religion be a catalyst to cooperation in the Middle East?

New psychology research suggests that Israelis and Palestinians think that the other group’s religious beliefs support cooperation and don’t necessarily promote conflict. For study co-lead author Michael Pasek, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago, the takeaway is that religion shouldn’t be assumed to always exacerbate conflicts. In some cases, it could help make people regard the other side more positively, according to Pasek, who is available to discuss the findings.