Revealing the zone of possible agreement between parties in conflict: An application to Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements

After Hamas' attack on 2023 October 7 and Israel's subsequent war, a pressing question is the nature of a postwar peace agreement. Peace negotiations often become deadlocked due to difficulties in identifying mutually advantageous agreements. A large-scale survey task and method is developed to identify the strength of preference for components of potential peace deals and changes to the status quo. Analyzing pre-October 7 representative samples of Israelis and Palestinians reveals a Zone of Possible Agreement, demonstrating shared preferences for deals that improve daily life. Violence exposure hampers compromise among Israelis, emphasizing the importance of abstaining from violence for conflict resolution.