In this refreshing article from The Systems Thinker, David Peter Stroh applies the principles of systems thinking to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in order to pinpoint destructive cycles and propose possible solutions. With a balanced perspective, Stroh describes the four stages of the conflict, where both sides fight for their right to exist, leading to an escalation of tension and violence, followed by negotiations, which ultimately break down, leaving both sides more frustrated and hopeless than they were before. Highlighting the interdependent and self-destructive nature of the current cycle, Stroh encourages each side to take responsibility for its own actions, acknowledge the narrative of the other side, and take risks for peace. Systems thinking is a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on the way that a system’s parts interrelate and work over time. David Peter Stroh is a cofounder of Innovation Associates and a charter member of the Society for Organizational Learning.