The Struggle to Maintain Schools in Times of War

Abstract

This article explores the distinct challenges facing Arab school principals in Israel, particularly in the context of existential fears stemming from a complex political landscape and rising violence in schools. These concerns are intensified by feelings of isolation from decision-making processes and the ineffectiveness of policies aimed at addressing the specific needs of Arab communities. Through an action research approach, this study analyzed the experiences of 15 elementary school principals over four years and introduced an intervention model called “empathetic inquiry”. This model, comprising four stages, creating a safe space for emotional expression, framing and reframing events, and formulating alternative actions, was implemented through group discussions and techniques like roleplaying. Findings revealed that the model facilitated open emotional sharing, enhanced principals’ sense of competence, and transformed their perception of authority from a rigid to a reflective role. Participation in the group fostered solidarity among staff and improved conflict management skills. Ultimately, this study highlights the “empathetic inquiry” model as a promising strategy for fostering empathetic leadership and reducing existential anxiety in Arab schools, although future research is necessary to evaluate its broader applicability and long-term effects, reflection, and self-awareness. This model contributed to their ability to cope with conflicts more effectively and to develop empathetic leadership.

1. Introduction

Let us begin by observing the following event.

The event, involving two third-grade students, took place during a lesson in an elementary (grades 1–6) mixed school in an Arab city in northern Israel:

• During class, Ahmad aggressively threatens Ibrahim, saying he will bring his father and uncle to retaliate. Ahmad’s family is known in the area as a crime family. The teacher witnesses the incident but does not intervene, and the tension in the classroom escalates.
• At the end of the lesson, the teacher approaches the principal and reports the story, adding: “I don’t want to be involved in this”.
• The next day, Ibrahim’s father arrives at the school in an agitated state, bursting into the principal’s office. The following conversation takes place between them:
• Father: (entering the room angrily) I don’t understand how you can sit here quietly after what happened with my son. Ahmad threatened my child! How are you planning to deal with this?
• Principal: (frozen in place) Sir, I understand you are frustrated, but yelling doesn’t solve problems. We need to discuss this maturely.
• Father: (interrupting) Maturely? My child is being threatened! The truth is, I already slapped Ahmad because of his threats against my son.
• Principal: (with an impatient look) I understand your pain, but I cannot allow violence in the school, and no reason can justify what you did. Ahmad is a student here, and I expect you not to behave violently towards my student. Proper intervention is necessary.
• Father: (starting to lose patience) What kind of intervention?! I don’t justify violence, but I am a father, and I’m trying to protect my child!
• Principal: (insisting) I understand that you want to protect your son, but violence only causes more problems and won’t resolve the issue. You need to be a positive role model for your children.
• Father: (shocked) A role model? I want to know what the system is doing to protect him!
• Principal: (more moderate) We will take action. We will start by meeting with Ahmad’s parents and developing a plan to improve the situation. But your reaction has consequences, and we cannot ignore that.
• Father: (angry) You’re disconnected from reality! I can’t trust you to handle violence properly!
• The father storms out, slamming the door.

The above incident—student threats and the father’s furious response at the school—reflects the complexity and challenges faced by Arab school principals in Israel. The daily reality in these schools is not merely a matter of teaching and learning; it is a complex battlefield intertwined with political tensions, community violence, and existential fears. The event illustrates the sensitivity and tension in the relationships between the principals, educational staff, students, and parents within this complex social–political context. The father’s explosive response, though unacceptable, reflects the fear and despair of parents faced with escalating violence in schools and their distrust in the system to respond effectively and adequately. The teacher’s and principal’s unprepared responses emphasize the need for innovative intervention models that address this unique reality and develop professional management skills that confront emotional and complex challenges.

The violence and fear characterizing Arab schools directly impact students’ ability to develop skills essential for the workforce. When school is perceived as an unsafe place, students’ ability to focus on learning, develop social skills, and acquire essential tools for integrating into the job market is compromised. Studies show that students experiencing violence in school develop negative perceptions of their future employability, which may affect their career choices and opportunities for quality employment.

This article presents research that examines the unique difficulties faced by Arab school principals in Israel amid existential fears shaped by a complex and violence-ridden political reality. It focuses on understanding how principals cope with acute violence within schools and communities, the impact of this reality on their perceptions and functioning, and the need to develop effective intervention models. The described incident serves as a starting point for a deeper understanding of the challenges and provides context for understanding the proposed intervention model in this study. Through an action research approach, utilizing the unique tool of “empathetic inquiry”, this research followed the personal experiences of principals in a group process over four years. This study seeks to propose an innovative intervention model that will accompany principals in dealing with existential fear, while developing empathetic leadership and support in Arab schools.

2. Background

2.1. The Arab Education System in Israel

The Israeli education system is characterized by a structural separation between the Jewish and Arab education systems, which operate under the regulation of the Ministry of Education, with Arab education managed through a dedicated department. Schools in the Arab sector are located in Arab communities with Arabic as the language of instruction, while Jewish schools use Hebrew and are located in Jewish communities, accepting only a small number of Arab students. While the curriculum content in core subjects is largely similar, other subjects show differences, particularly regarding national identity and history. Significant gaps exist in per-student funding, infrastructure, and academic achievements, with the Arab sector generally at a disadvantage (Haddad Haj-Yahia 2020).

In terms of learning structure, most public schools in the Jewish sector are mixed gender, but there is gender separation in religious and ultra-Orthodox public schools. Almost all Arab schools in Israel are mixed gender, except for a few middle and high schools located in conservative or religiously oriented communities. Within the Arab sector itself, there are noticeable gaps between urban and rural areas: in large Arab cities, schools suffer from overcrowding but offer a wider variety of study tracks, while in small villages, there is sometimes a shortage of high schools and limited infrastructure, affecting teaching quality and learning opportunities. The current research focuses on elementary school principals in one of the largest Arab cities in northern Israel, a city with a low socioeconomic status. This city’s educational system faces multiple challenges: 15 overcrowded elementary schools (32–35 students per classroom), inadequate physical infrastructure, and below-average standardized test scores. All schools operate with mixed-gender classrooms, unlike more traditional Arab communities that practice gender separation, with only one girls-only middle and high school in the city. Instruction is conducted in Arabic, with Hebrew taught as a second language from third grade. The teaching staff is predominantly female, especially in lower grades, with limited male representation in higher grades and STEM subjects. Despite recent intervention programs by the municipality and the Ministry of Education to improve teaching quality and infrastructure, significant gaps remain.

2.2. What Is Happening in Arab Schools Today?

The external characteristics of schools, such as their community context and the socioeconomic backgrounds of students, significantly influence violence levels in educational settings. Communities characterized by poverty, high crime rates, and discrimination typically experience higher incidences of school violence.

In recent years, Arab schools in Israel have faced a convergence of challenges stemming from social tensions, security conflicts, and organized crime infiltration. The “Guardian of the Walls” operation1 intensified feelings of segregation among students and teachers while damaging relationships with state institutions. Concurrently, Arab society in Israel has experienced alarming increases in violent crimes, with murders, threats, and extortion becoming increasingly common in communities and subsequently penetrating school environments (Nassir and Benoliel 2024).

The educational landscape in these communities is further complicated by structural factors. Principals operate within an education framework defined by Zionist narratives while serving a community with a Palestinian national–cultural identity. This creates tensions between institutional demands from the Ministry of Education and the expectations of local Arab society (Arar and Ibrahim 2016; Arar 2018a, 2018b). Research by Reingold and Baratz (2020) identified principal responses ranging from “conformity” (passive acceptance of institutional guidelines) to “moral courage” (advancing independent culturally relevant activities within system constraints). This latter approach represents the willingness to take calculated risks to embed elements of cultural identity while maintaining acceptable relationships with state institutions.

The impact of violence extends to classroom dynamics as well. Abd Algani et al. (2020) found that violent students typically demonstrate low academic achievement, reduced motivation, and feelings of alienation. Teachers often struggle with inadequate intervention strategies and resources to address these behaviors, pointing to both personal and familial factors contributing to student violence.

Despite these challenges, emerging positive initiatives focus on improving education in Arab society through leadership development, technological integration, and teacher empowerment. However, meaningful improvement ultimately requires broad systemic change focused on equitable resource allocation, violence reduction, and comprehensive support for educational professionals.

2.3. School Management in Fear

Arab school principals in Israel cope with a complex web of anxieties stemming from the unique intersection of community violence, organized crime, and socio-political tensions. While the previous section outlined the objective challenges these principals face, this section explores the psychological impact of these challenges and how fear shapes their professional functioning and decision-making processes.

Research highlights the profound psychological burden these principals experience regarding violence in their communities (Arar and Ibrahim 2016; Arar 2018a, 2018b; Da’as et al. 2023). This fear stems not from isolated incidents but rather from a persistent state of vulnerability where principals feel their schools cannot provide adequately safe environments for students or staff.

The constant threat creates what can be described as an “atmosphere of fear” permeating the entire educational setting.

This fear is not merely a personal reaction but emerges from systemic factors: inadequate resources and support, insufficient training for crisis management, and limited institutional protection when confronting threats (Astor et al. 2009; DeMatthews and Brown 2019; Scharmer 2016). When principals feel unsupported by authorities while facing community violence or criminal intimidation, their decision making becomes significantly compromised.

The psychological impact manifests in several distinct ways. First, fear often leads to reactive rather than proactive management strategies, with principals focusing on immediate threat containment rather than long-term educational development. Second, the experience of constant vigilance creates cognitive and emotional burdens that deplete energy that would otherwise be directed toward educational leadership. Third, principals report feeling caught between their duty to maintain authority and their genuine concern for personal safety.

As DeMatthews and Brown (2019) observed in their study of urban school principals, concerns for personal safety, student and staff wellbeing, and institutional reputation can fundamentally alter leadership approaches. However, they also noted that acknowledging and confronting fears, rather than suppressing them, can potentially transform fear from a paralyzing force into a catalyst for proactive leadership.

Scharmer (2016) further emphasized that addressing the anxieties and fears that impede effective leadership is essential for creating learning environments. This requires moving beyond individualized coping mechanisms toward collaborative and systemic approaches that recognize the shared nature of these challenges.

The empathetic inquiry approach explored in this study directly addresses this need by creating structured spaces for principals to process and transform their relationship with fear, potentially enabling them to maintain educational leadership even while navigating threatening environments.

2.4. Empathetic Inquiry—A Methodology to Help Principals Create Change

“Empathetic inquiry” (Honig et al. 2024) is a unique approach developed to assist educators in creating change in their work perceptions. This approach offers an innovative methodology focused on empathy-based practice inquiry and reframing within professional learning communities. The methodology guides participants to understand the complex relationships of behavior in schools and examine situations from the different perspectives of all involved. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing empathy as a means to create a safe space for open communication and emotional expression within the working group. The methodology emphasizes asking directed and focused questions within a group, allowing educators to view different events from a new perspective, and identifying new ways to address challenges and difficult situations. Empathetic inquiry encourages educators to develop a reflective approach and create an open dialogue about their experiences and the difficulties they face, while acknowledging the uncertainties in which they operate.

The methodology suggests working through four main stages:

Stage A: Presenting the Case: This first stage focuses on the group’s active listening to the participant who shares his or her experience.

Stage B: Initial Framing: In this stage, the focus is on clarifying the teacher’s emotions, identifying what caused these feelings, validating the experience within the contextual reality, and providing an interpretation of the situation as experienced by the participant sharing the story.

Stage C: Reframing: In this stage, the group looks at the event from a new perspective and expands their understanding of the involved characters by asking questions about the context and history, formulating new interpretations that may provide constructive thinking for the event.

Stage D: Alternatives: In this stage, the group attempts to create new ways to cope with a similar situation using an empathetic approach toward all involved by formulating possible alternative actions.

The methodology aims to create a safe space for emotional expression and deepen the understanding within professional learning communities, allowing educators to release concerns, feel supported, and address challenges more effectively.

3. Methodology

Our work with the principals is based on repeated cycles of action research. Action research is defined as “a democratic collaborative process aimed at developing practical knowledge […] linking action and reflection, theory and practice […] in search of practical solutions to issues that concern people” (Reason and Bradbury 2001, p. 1).

The core of the process is the creation of a learning group of principals within the local authority. In this study, the group included all 15 principals from the elementary schools in the aforementioned northern Arab city. It is important to note that participation in this professional forum was mandatory for all school principals in the city, as part of the municipality’s educational development initiative. The group functions as a permanent forum of principals who have been working together for several years, operating within the framework of a principals’ forum managed by the local authority, as is customary in Israeli municipalities. The group also included inspectors from the Ministry of Education and representatives from the municipal education department. The leaders of the group invited the first author of this study, an expert in inclusive education approaches, to work with the group and assist in the developmental processes of the schools. The facilitator has been accompanying the group for about five years, with meetings taking place once every three weeks.

The research process employed a systematic approach to data collection and analysis. All events were documented during the meetings by a research assistant appointed by the municipality, who was present as a non-intervening observer. The facilitator’s interventions and the group discussions were documented in writing, though meetings were not audio recorded. During these sessions, principals brought up events from their professional experiences that concerned them, with particular attention in recent sessions to situations involving fear and violence. For the current analysis, we selected events collected primarily in the past year, which coincided with both the escalation of conflict in Gaza and the rise in violent crime within the city and broader Arab society in Israel.

The group analyzed these events through a cycle of action learning: action, reflection, discovery, and formulating new action (Argyris and Schön 1997; Zuber-Skerritt 2001). The central research question focused on understanding the experiences of school principals facing difficult challenges related to conflicts with parents within the context of escalating violence in the current political reality.

We employed a qualitative–thematic analysis of the discussion protocols to identify patterns in principals’ reported experiences and responses.

The knowledge production process included gathering documented materials from the group’s work, systematic analysis, and conceptual mapping conducted by the first author. The conceptualizations were based on the mapping of events and the analysis of the intervention process facilitated by the group leader.

Regarding ethical considerations, it should be emphasized that this specific research is only a small component of a much larger, multi-year municipal research initiative examining educational practices across the city. The first author has been an integral part of this broader research framework since its inception, working within established ethical protocols. Ethical review was not required for this particular component as all groups accompanied by the municipality were informed in advance of their participation in the comprehensive research project. All participants and supervisors were explicitly informed that their involvement would be accompanied by research documentation, and they were encouraged to voice any objections either verbally or in writing; no objections were raised.

4. Intervention Process

In this intervention, we relied on a series of action strategies based on tools for empathetic inquiry (Honig et al. 2024). The tool was adapted to the current reality in which increasing violence intensifies principals’ feelings of fear. These strategies are designed to help principals cope with the complex challenges they face in their work. The intervention focused on four central stages, each including a complete action strategy: (1) understanding the story: fear is stressful and paralyzing; (2) initial framing: it is not worth our effort—there is nothing we can do; (3) reframing: in the face of violence, restraint and calmness are required; (4) formulating alternative actions: to be calm instead of engage in power struggles (roleplaying).

Here, we will describe in depth the action strategies for each of the intervention stages and provide examples from the principals’ meetings, discussing the implications of the work required of the principals and also illustrating the targeted use of the tool.

4.1. Stage A—Understanding the Story: Fear Is Stressful and Paralyzing

In order for participants to share their story authentically and without fear, there needs to be a protected, safe, and empathetic space. A safe space can be created based on ideas from Winnicott’s theory related to “transitional space” and “holding”. This space is characterized by several key features: a suitable physical infrastructure, an atmosphere of trust and camaraderie, respect for differences and diverse opinions, the avoidance of judgment, the removal of barriers to self-expression, and a willingness to share and listen in a qualitative manner. The facilitator serves as a personal example of respectful and open behavior and fosters a continuous reflective approach (Kisfalvi and Oliver 2015).

Creating a safe space is a practice we adopt throughout the analysis of the event, but especially in the first stage of presenting the case. Let us look at the dialogue that occurred in the group after the principal shared the story presented in the introduction:

• Facilitator: Wow, what a difficult experience you had. Can you describe in more detail what you went through when the father came to you and in general?
• Principal: At first, I was shocked by the father’s behavior, how he dared to do this. I was very angry and frustrated with the whole situation. I felt like I had no control over things.
• Facilitator: Indeed, you had no control. It’s clear that this is upsetting and disappointing; it’s a challenging experience. What other feelings arose in you at that moment?
• Principal: I also felt helpless. I was there, standing in front of him, and I didn’t know how to respond. It was hard for me to figure out what to do to calm the situation. I froze, got confused, and was flooded with intense fear.
• Facilitator: That must have been very frustrating. And now that you’re telling us this, how do you feel?
• Principal: Honestly, it’s not easy for me.
• Participant: I understand you. I find myself constantly fearing how to handle my tasks with all this pressure from the crime groups.
• Participant: I felt the same way. Just a few days ago, a second-grade student brought a weapon to school. It created fear not only among the students but also among the teachers. It’s not easy to know how to function in such a reality.
• Facilitator: That can certainly be very difficult. It’s frightening to think about what’s happening around us. How have you tried to cope with those feelings?
• Participant: I try to get through it with gentle action, to warn and not to panic. I try to find balance and maintain calm.
• Principal: That’s exactly what I was trying to achieve with the father, but sometimes the dynamics change very quickly.
• Facilitator: I want to ask you, have you ever had similar experiences, and how were you able to overcome those difficult feelings?
• Participant: I fear the consequences if I act too decisively. I feel like we’re walking on a tightrope every day. So many difficult experiences since we started dealing with this situation in our schools, it affects each of us.
• Principal: (echoing) I feel the same way. The fear of retaliation from families involved in crime just adds to the confusion and pressure. This paralyzes us, and the struggle to feel capable of acting freely is very burdensome.
• Participant: I feel like I’m in a daily war....

The principles upon which the invitation for participants to present an authentic event was based:

Directed Questions: Starting the discussion with directed questions aimed at helping the principal deeply connect with her emotions regarding the event she experienced. Questions like “What did you feel when you were with the father?” and “What emotions arose in you?” allow her to break down her experiences into clear emotional components.

Depth of Exploration: Further along, questions such as “And now, as you tell us this, how do you feel?” encourage the principal to examine her ongoing feelings and the impact of the story on her self-awareness.

Empathetic Reflection: The facilitator performs empathetic reflection by recognizing and validating the principal’s experiences. For example, statements like “It’s clear that this is upsetting and disappointing… It’s a challenging experience”, help to legitimize emotions and reduce feelings of emotional loneliness.

Group Sharing and Support: The group’s involvement at this stage can be in two ways: one is personal experience sharing—the facilitator calls on the rest of the group to share their feelings and personal experiences that arose in light of listening to the principal’s story. This allows for emotional connection among group members and contributes to a sense of solidarity and mutual support. The second expression refers to the group’s attempt to step into the principal’s shoes: the facilitator encourages group members to experience and understand the principal’s situation by voicing an internal dialogue that symbolizes their personal experience. Phrases like “This event stressed me a lot” or “I can’t handle this, I’m scared to death”, allow for deep empathy toward the individual experiencing the difficulty.

Promoting a Protected and Safe Group Atmosphere: The facilitator ensures the maintenance of a respectful and safe environment where all group members feel free to share their emotions; this may include clear rules such as non-judgment, confidentiality, and active listening.

Through these approaches, the facilitator can help the principal and group members examine their feelings in a deep and grounded way, leading to a better understanding of both personal and collective experiences. Speaking about emotions encourages emotional support that can assist in more effective coping with difficult events in the future and enhances resilience and the perception of competence.

4.2. Stage B—Initial Framing: It Is Not Worth Our Effort—There Is Nothing We Can Do

In the next stage, an attempt is made to clarify the subjective perceptions and thoughts of the principal regarding herself and her conduct in the event. The central question posed to the principal was as follows: “What do you think about what happened? How do you understand what occurred and your reactions to it?” The task is to investigate her interpretations of the story and where she is coming from when facing the narrative.

• Principal: Sometimes I feel that anything I try will fail sooner or later. I think about the situation... as if everything I do doesn’t bring real change. I’m not going to succeed in being safe.
• Facilitator: Because that’s how it is out there, what can I really change?
• Participant: Our efforts to calm and hold aren’t really possible; does anyone here believe that crime will diminish? It’s actually the opposite; it’s only increasing. All my efforts seem pointless in light of a realistic view of what is really happening around us. I can’t really prevent a father from threatening me or a criminal from coming in here with a weapon.
• Facilitator: I understand that this is very complex, and all of you have the thought that the external reality is stronger, that it’s not worth our effort. In fact, we all agree here that there’s nothing to be done.

The principles upon which the initial framing process was based to elicit the dominant perceptions of the participants:

Exploration of Internal Logic: The main task is to validate the story, allowing the storyteller’s feelings to be acknowledged. The facilitator does not express criticism or judgment but tries to understand what the narrator intended. The underlying assumption is that every behavior, even if incorrect, has internal logic. We want the narrator to be aware of his or her internal logic, enabling them to choose whether they acted as they would like or if they might want to change.

Clear and Accurate Formulation of the Participant’s Interpretation: We aim to formulate the bottom line as if giving a headline to the event that represents the experiences and thoughts of the narrator. This will be performed while avoiding judgment; in continuation of reflecting on what the participant has brought, we will pay attention to formulating a reliable and accurate reflection of what was said.

Through this dialogue, the facilitator assists principals in identifying and understanding how their negative thoughts and perceptions affect their view of reality and their ability to cope. The goal is to identify negative and rigid thought patterns that lead to feelings of helplessness and solidify a stance that perpetuates ineffective coping with conflict and threatening situations.

Significant points become clear during the framing process. The feeling of helplessness that she experiences and the belief that she has no power or control over the reality may lead her to avoid action, which can, in turn, be interpreted as problematic and ineffective in achieving her goals. Additionally, her awareness of a constant sense of danger exacerbates the situation, as the principal interprets every situation as threatening and expects ongoing harm, with no apparent solution in sight. Meanwhile, her acknowledgment of the futility in her efforts causes those efforts to seem worthless until circumstances change, and this effect may undermine her personal motivation as well as the collective motivation. When all these components accumulate, the principal may find herself stuck in a closed loop of frustration and stress, further escalating negative feelings and complicating the promotion of realistic solutions.

Considering these feelings, it is necessary to examine the interpretations that may be negative and entrapping and consider how to empower the principal to move forward. At this stage, no alternatives are presented yet; instead, we aim to understand the foundations on which her current perceptions are based.

4.3. Stage C—Reframing—I Have No Control over Reality; I Have Control over My Inner World

In the next stage of the intervention, the facilitator helps the principal transition to a new framing of the situation. The aim is to encourage the principal to recognize that while the external reality may be beyond her control, she does have influence over her inner world and that together they can develop internal strength and resilience through collaboration. Additionally, the goal is for the group to experience the situation differently and for group members to feel the power of sharing.

Here is the dialogue that occurred between the facilitator and the principal within the group:

• Facilitator: I know that the situation seems very complicated and hopeless. Can you think for a moment about what you are able to control?
• Principal: Maybe I managed at least to meet with the father and tell him what I think of his behavior, even when he didn’t like it. That required a lot of restraint and courage on my part.
• Facilitator: That certainly requires courage, and that’s not to be taken for granted. How do you understand this courage?
• Principal: I don’t know; I think I managed to keep my cool in front of the father and actually even in front of my staff, even though I was also stressed and seething inside.
• Facilitator: It seems you were really able to control yourself in a very complex situation and acted responsibly, that’s really impressive!
• Facilitator to the group: And what about the other group members, is there anyone who can think and reflect for a moment on similar situations they encountered without losing control and falling apart?
• Participant: Maybe partially; not with a father, but with a student who threatened other student, and I managed to catch him for a personal discussion and calm him down without the situation escalating. Although at first, I was very afraid that the child would call his parents, and they would start threatening me too, my restraint made me feel I could manage a conversation and have an effect on the student.
• Participant: Honestly, I sometimes see everything in black, but I managed in conversations with many parents from difficult backgrounds, especially when I refrained from attacking them and avoided entering a power struggle. But that really required a lot of preparation and self-calming strategies, and also consulting with the counselor.
• Participant: Now that we’re talking, I remember some really tough events, one incident between a mother and a teacher, where the mother almost hit the teacher. Yet I managed not to yell, but to calm the situation and allow the mother and teacher to finish the meeting with a smile. There are things we’ve succeeded at, but you know, it’s just not enough...
• Facilitator: Wow... what amazing work you’re doing! You tend to undervalue it and the strengths and abilities you all possess. The reality is so difficult and dangerous... I understand that, but you continue to come to school, face the challenges, and take care of the children and the teachers... that’s truly impressive.
• Participant: Yes, we do come and hold on.
• Facilitator: Perhaps the most important thing that emerges here is the understanding that while you won’t be able to change the outside reality, you can still manage to persist in facing difficulties, feel that our work has value and meaning, and continue to function. You do this because you manage to maintain calmness and inner peace.
• Principal: It’s amazing what you’re saying, I really have no control over external reality, but I do have control over my inner world and strengthen my resilience. In this group, I also feel that being together gives me a sense of control. Through collaboration, there is an experience of power.

The principles upon which the reframing process and finding a direction for action were based:

Exploration of Internal Control: One of the central questions that arose in the dialogue was how the principal’s personal responses helped her cope with the challenging situations. It is crucial to recognize those aspects wherein, despite the difficulty, a sense of inner control has been cultivated, strengthening her self-confidence and the ability to respond thoughtfully. The dialogue illustrated the impact of a new perspective on the situation, viewed through the lens of successes and small yet tangible influence.

Changing the Perspective: The dialogue demonstrates how a shift in perspective can alter self-perception and open doors to creative solutions and a renewed belief in personal abilities. The focus is on a perspective shift regarding success and failure and control and lack of control. Changing the perspective strengthens professional confidence and enhances the sense of capability to continue trying in the future.

Building Collective Power: The reactions of group members serve as testimony to collective strength, understanding, and mutual support. Listening and conducting an open dialogue with others empowers group members, allowing them to see their influence as part of a larger group.

Recognition of Personal and Collective Resources: The dialogue helped group members identify similar voices within the group and recognize their shared strengths. Acknowledging these resources enhances the ability to cope with complex situations and offers comfort and support to each participant.

The dialogue that took place encouraged the principal and the group to recognize their achievements and their internal and collective strengths. The reframing led to a shift in focus from feelings of helplessness to a recognition of potential strength and resilience, thus providing hope and meaning to daily actions. Insights arising from the new framing assisted in “waking up” from the illusion of being able to change a harsh reality and expecting drastic changes. This, in turn, diminished frustration and enhanced the sense of competence and ongoing action, which have both partial and significant impacts.

4.4. Stage D—Formulating Alternative Actions—To Calm Instead of Power Struggles (Roleplaying)

At the beginning of the dialogue, the dominant framing in the group was “There’s nothing to do”. As the discussion progressed, the principals began to formulate alternatives to their perception of reality. The alternative framing is formulated as follows: While I may have no control over external reality, I have control over my inner world and strengthening my resilience. As a group, we have control over the experience of togetherness through collaboration, which provides a sense of power. We can search for alternative actions to cope with similar situations to those presented at the start of the discussion.

The facilitator invites the principal to engage in roleplaying. In the roleplay, the facilitator plays the role of the principal, and the principal plays the role of the teacher. This serves as a simulation of a conversation the principal might have with the teacher when that teacher brings an incident to her attention. The task is to assist the principal in working with the teacher when she is attacked by the father and to find a reasonable response to a complex event.

• Principal (as teacher): I’m not willing to handle this case.
• Facilitator (as principal): Can you tell me why?
• Teacher: I’m afraid. I don’t want to deal with this student’s family. They might come and threaten me.
• Principal: I really understand this need. But it’s important to me that you’re there and face the father. I want us to think about how you can avoid backing down in front of him.
• Teacher: Tell me what to say to the student so his father won’t come to threaten me.
• Principal: What do we know about the father? Let’s think about how we understand his reaction, and how we should work with him.
• Teacher: He’s a criminal who deals with weapons. That’s what I know.
• Principal: That’s probably true. And in light of this, I don’t think there’s much we can do. But how do you understand his reaction to what happened?
• Teacher: He’s hot-headed, and if the slightest thing happens to his child, he immediately becomes violent.
• Principal: That’s good. Essentially, although the father reacts aggressively, he’s very concerned about his son and wants to protect him.
• Teacher: But in the wrong way.
• Principal: That’s probably true. But maybe you could address this concern: “I appreciate that you care for your son. He’s a talented child. Perhaps you can help me understand how to deal with him when he misbehaves. How can I help him calm down?“
• Teacher: That will help, I can try.
• Principal: How do you feel now?
• Teacher: It calms me down. You understand my fear.

The principles upon which the roleplay simulation was based:

The facilitator plays the role of the principal, while the principal plays the role of the teacher. The facilitator’s role is crucial and should not put the principal in a vulnerable position where she could fail in the simulation, especially since she has already been vulnerable many times in the group.

The facilitator demonstrates how to calm a situation. This can only happen once the group is already prepared for an action that does not stem from their sense of threat, but rather from a sense of power and capability.

4.5. Results—What Happened to Group Participants Following the Process

Through the intervention process, the principals not only gained a better understanding of themselves but also developed a different perception of their professionalism. They succeeded in formulating strategies that enable them to function better in an environment characterized by numerous challenges.

4.5.1. Decreased Feelings of Loneliness and Increased Sense of Solidarity

The first result obtained was a reduction in feelings of loneliness and an increase in the sense of solidarity among the principals. During the group discussions, the principals understood that they are not alone in their struggles and that others experience the same challenges and conflicts. Sharing problems, experiences, and feelings contributed to a sense of belonging and mutual commitment, which strengthened their solidarity. They not only acknowledged their personal fears but also learned how to engage with the fears of the educational staff they lead. In an environment where each faced their own challenges, the power of cooperation and mutual understanding at the heart of the group became an important means to ease emotional burdens. Each principal felt part of a supportive community, thus developing closeness and trust among one another, which contributed to improving the overall school environment.

Principal: Honestly, this discussion mainly helped me release the constant tension I thought I was experiencing alone and with such intensity. It turns out we’re all in the same boat (smiling).

4.5.2. Transition from Despair to a Sense of Capability

The second result is the strengthening of the belief that they have the power to cope with complexity and to act more effectively. The principals, who experienced feelings of despair due to the numerous challenges they were facing, began to realize that they possess tools and internal resources that can help them cope to some extent with the situation. This sense of capability, which began to replace feelings of despair, helped improve their self-confidence, even though significant challenges still remained.

Through leveraging their accumulated knowledge and experience, the principals were able to develop management strategies that allowed them to calm their educational staff and act in a more composed, non-confrontational manner. They realized that proper judgment and management strategies might enhance communication with all the stakeholders in educational activities. However, this transition is not complete, and the demand to respond to the harsh reality continues. The feeling that challenges can be transformed into opportunities for growth and progress is important, but the principals recognize that the path to success is long and requires continuous effort.

Principal: You know, every day there are complaints from the teachers about the situation, and now I understand that I was always struggling to provide solutions; I now realize I need to listen to the teachers and encourage and calm them... but that requires time and also for me to be calm... it’s hard.

4.5.3. Shifting Perception of Authority

Soothing elements gain validity—the construction of a new authority: the third result is a change in the perception of authority. This is an intriguing and not self-evident issue—especially in the Arab education system, where authority is often perceived as being in control and dictating order.

A school staff—especially the principal—must pretend that everything is under control even when everyone around knows that the reality is otherwise (Ramadan et al. 2021). “Observing authority indicates the need for educational professionals to develop awareness of their inner world as a condition for optimal exercising of authority. The principal’s ability to maintain self-control through thoughtful reflection and self-awareness is a crucial factor in driving change” (Ramadan et al. 2021, p. 116).

During the intervention process, school principals identified that softer aspects of leadership, such as empathy, openness, and understanding, were validated and gained significance. This realization changed the dynamics of their authority, allowing them to be authoritative without being harsh. These principals learned to exert authority based on understanding and respect, which leads to building better relationships with the staff, parents, and students. Instead of projecting control and confidence to influence students, they learned to radiate self-assurance through their humane connection, thus strengthening their authority.

Principal: When the principal talked about how she spoke to the father, I felt restless and wanted to immediately ask her how she could let him shout; she should have put him in his place and made it clear that she was in charge. But now I see it a little differently… I understand that this would have only caused the tones to escalate; control doesn’t come from shouting but rather from restraint and navigating with understanding and wisdom.

5. Discussion and Conclusions

The findings presented in this discussion are based on a thematic analysis of various data sources collected during five years of research. The events brought up by principals were documented in writing during meetings, including facilitator interventions and group discussions. For the current research, events highlighting the principals’ experiences with fear and insecurity were selected and analyzed using a thematic analysis of discussion protocols. These data reflect changes in principals’ perceptions over time, as expressed in group discussions and reflective assignments.

This study was guided by the central research question: how do Arab school principals experience and cope with challenges related to fear and violence in the current political reality? Returning to this question, our findings reveal that principals’ experiences are characterized by complex emotional responses, including feelings of helplessness, isolation, and fear for their personal safety. Yet, through the empathetic inquiry process, we observed a significant shift in how principals perceived these challenges and their capacity to address them. These findings directly address our research aims of understanding principals’ experiences and developing effective intervention models to support them in navigating this complex reality.

This research revealed the complexity and emotional burden experienced by Arab school principals in Israel due to ongoing violence and a sense of existential fear. The results of the study, which show a significant change in the teachers’ perception of themselves and their work, support two central claims:

First, even in a chaotic reality of complex political and social conditions, there is something that can be done.

In their book The Power of Bad, Tierney and Baumeister (2019) describe how negative situations and events influence our thoughts and behavior. A complicated reality continuously impacts mood, often guides relationships, and dictates people’s choices. The unceasing flow of bad news and disaster alerts lead us to feelings of helplessness and cause us to live in fear and anger. We ignore the abundance of good things in our lives and listen to the voices warning us that the world is on its path to ruin. An analysis of the group discussion protocols revealed how principals expressed clear feelings of helplessness, as seen in quotes like “all my efforts seem pointless” and “it’s not worth our effort”. The transformation process was clearly visible in the changing discourse over time, from focusing on the inability to influence external reality to discussing ways to influence their inner world and interactions within the school. A sense of despair creates a state where people forget the professional practices they have in their toolkit. Their professional knowledge seems to be erased, and their awareness of being good professionals disappears. We saw that the teachers’ feelings led them to an internal experience of paralysis. They feel there is no escape from the problems they face, that nothing can be done, and that everything is deteriorating. Based on their perception, for there to be change, a deep revolution is necessary, and small changes are meaningless. With such an awareness, educators stop performing the good actions they know how to perform and succumb to negative thoughts and inaction. The work we did with the educators precisely addressed this point. Even when the sense that everything around is unraveling and deteriorating prevails, working with educators can help restore their sense of competence. It helps people recognize their strengths, maintain motivation for working, avoid paralysis, and free them from the feeling of being stuck and without escape. Although the actual reality does not change, the fact that they themselves change their position can influence their reality (Kurland et al. 2021). The expectation that changes will come from outside is an understandable wish; however, the goal is to help people understand that they have the ability to influence reality despite its difficulty. They should not throw in the towel. Following the work we presented to the principals, there was increased self-belief and a sense of influence in smaller circles. This change was at the micro level—not at the broader policy level, but in their own staff room conduct. Some managed to feel the experience of the return of control. Others succeeded in creating a conceptual connection between processes occurring in their staff rooms and those occurring within the Arab society as a whole. This work helped them derive meaning from their daily activities. Clear evidence of change was observed in how principals began to share their approaches to similar situations of conflict after the process. For example, one principal who initially expressed fear and helplessness when faced with parental threats later reported a change in his strategies: “I used calming techniques and instead of entering into confrontation with the father, I managed to conduct a productive conversation that changed the dynamics”. These changes were not theoretical but manifested in everyday actions reported by principals, such as changes in how they conduct staff meetings, respond to crisis events, and train teaching staff.

An important aspect emerging from this research is that the structured working technique sometimes replaces therapeutic work. The technique connects individuals to themselves, to others, and to the collective. Through this connection, there is a greater willingness to explore the process and the outcomes. When we speak in general terms that do not relate to individuals, it is perceived as preaching—distant, inaccessible, unrealistic, and theoretical. In contrast, personal and interpersonal connection creates a sense of understanding and empathy that promotes a willingness to try new things and dare to overcome external barriers and fears. Group meetings that took place during the recent conflicts, particularly since October 2023, with the outbreak of war in Gaza, reflected a significant increase in feelings of fear and alienation among principals. An analysis of the protocols from the past two years showed how principals dealt with intensified tensions between Jewish and Arab populations in Israel, and their profound impact on the sense of security within the educational community. The group process allowed principals to express these concerns openly and develop coping strategies, which was critical during this extended period of national crisis and uncertainty.

The group methodology, in which the group examines their administration through empathetic tools, provides alternative insights about oneself, one’s actions, one’s reality, and about connections with others. It also illustrates how the self can be used as a tool for service to the children. It carries a different awareness; it provides perspective. Utilizing the tool brings back the awareness of being good professionals and restores abilities and self-belief to consciousness. It reframes perceptions of success and capability. Even though the work is not therapeutic at its core and does not aim to serve that goal, it does aspire to elevate awareness regarding the less conscious aspects of educational work. It connects actions to feelings and thoughts. Typically, schools examine actions and results and then draw conclusions. However, they do not explore what drives these actions and what exists in the less conscious systematic and individual parts that influence these actions. Among Arab principals, particularly among men, it is very difficult to express emotions, especially feelings of fear. Thus, it is very important to create a safe space that is free of judgment and to legitimize all difficult feelings. Throughout the process, we demonstrated how to transform emotion into a universal theme—“We have all experienced this”—through a very calming method.

In conclusion, unaddressed fear can have a snowball effect and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is great importance in addressing fear since it is one of the factors leading to paralysis. Fear contradicts action. The very experience that it is legitimate to feel fear and that I am not alone provides relief and reduces feelings of loneliness.

The findings of this research raise concerns that the fear and violence that are characteristic of Arab schools create long-term implications for the future employment of their students. Principals, facing daily threats to their personal safety and the safety of their schools, struggle to dedicate sufficient attention to developing programs aimed at their students’ future employment. This is particularly evident in the lack of collaboration with stakeholders in the employment sector and difficulties in conducting extracurricular activities designed to expose students to employment opportunities.

Above all, a forum for Arab principals meeting together without Jewish participation and discussing what is happening to them while creating a safe space free of external threat allows them to develop. The external reality, which represents a significant threat to Arab society, undermines people’s security due to feelings of persecution, censorship, and inequality. Gathering a forum of Arab principals to discuss their issues for themselves, alone, is not self-evident. This gathering becomes significant and a lever for promoting a sense of capability.

In summary, this research demonstrates how an empathetic inquiry process in a peer group can lead to significant changes in principals’ professional self-perception and how they deal with fear and violence in their role. The findings highlight the importance of creating a safe space for Arab principals in Israel that allows for open emotional expression and addressing shared challenges. The broader implementation of this method provides a form of containment for staff, strengthens their sense of capability, and preserves mental wellbeing in a difficult and complex reality over which we have little control. While this approach cannot compensate for the negative factors in the external reality, it does offer partial compensation through fostering solidarity and reducing feelings of isolation and fear. On a broader level, this research raises questions about how the education system in Israel should address the unique needs of Arab schools and offers an intervention model that could be implemented in similar settings. While further research is needed to examine the long-term effectiveness of the model, the initial findings indicate significant potential for improving principals’ sense of capability and effectiveness in dealing with a complex reality.