History Behind the Headlines

Berkhamsted School invited historian Michael Scott-Baumann to deliver a talk on the history of the Palestine-Israel conflict.

Berkhamsted School recently invited Michael Scott-Baumann to deliver a talk to Sixth Form students entitled ‘From the Balfour Declaration to Gaza’.

Historian, teacher and author of Palestinians and Israelis: A Short History of Conflict (2023), Michael is part of an organisation called ‘The Balfour Project’ which aims to develop students’ critical thinking skills and knowledge of 20th and 21st century Palestine and Israel.

The Balfour Project acknowledges Britain’s historic and continuing responsibility in the conflict and works through education and advocacy to advance equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis. In a climate of misinformation and fear of saying the wrong thing, the project encourages the formal teaching of the history of Palestine and Israel in schools.

Michael delivered an insightful and accessible presentation detailing the timeline of events from the defeat of the Ottoman Empire up to the present-day conflict, highlighting the legacy of British involvement and contradictory promises towards both Palestinians and Israelis.

He then dedicated time to a Q&A. Students asked perceptive questions about the history of the conflict and its continued effects today, America’s influence and the stability of the ceasefire. It was fantastic to see our students engage with this emotive and historically complex topic with curiosity and empathy. Students studying History and Politics were able to apply their subject knowledge to the talk and stretch themselves to think how this issue affects the future of international relations.

We are grateful to Michael for bringing education and advocacy to Berkhamsted School. We are living through history and firmly believe in the importance of providing students with unbiased, factually accurate information with which they can interpret the uncertain world around them.