Collective violence leads to grievous harm for affected populations, impacting both combatants and noncombatants. In recent years there has been an increased focus on the relationship between peace and health, with the World Health Organization calling for health professionals to engage in efforts to promote peace. While the notion of "health as a bridge for peace" is promising, there are many ambiguities in this emerging field, creating moral and practical dilemmas. In this manuscript I will discuss some of the challenges within the paradigm of health and peace using an exemplar of my research within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.