Chargement
Contextualizing the Israel-Palestine war
Learn more about the history of Israel and Palestine that led up to Hamas’ terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.
Publié le 29 janvier 2024
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017
Rashid Khalidi“In the name of God, let Palestine be left alone,” says a 1899 letter from the mayor of Jerusalem to the father of Zionism, Theodore Herzl. As we know, this plea went unheeded. Over a century later, Khalidi — a descendent of the letter-writer — delivers an account of the continued conflict between Israel and Palestine. Khalidi’s Palestinian perspective is a vital contribution to the conversation, and he remains balanced in his analysis of past mistakes and potential pathways forward. This book has consistently been on the New York Times bestseller list since the October 7 attacks.
Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth
Noa TishbyTishby, an Israeli actress and activist, is wry and straightforward in this personal and political history of the nation of Israel. Beginning before Israel’s establishment in 1948 and continuing into the present, Tishby corrects many common misconceptions about her homeland along the way. Her account is an informative and culturally rich primer on a complex topic.
The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East
Sandy TolanA lemon tree, planted before the Israeli War of Independence by a Palestinian family, represents hope in this extensively researched and deeply human account of the conflict. This true story of the strained friendship between Khairi, a Palestinian man whose family was driven from the house with the lemon tree due to the war, and Eshkenazi, a young Israeli woman who now occupies the home, eschews rhetoric and easy answers. But always, it shows that, even when individuals don’t see eye to eye, understanding — and even peace — are still within reach.
Israel: A History
Anita ShapiraShapira, a history professor at Tel Aviv University and winner of the Israel Prize, pens an even-handed history of Israel and the Zionist movement, starting in the late 19th century. Rather than focusing on exhaustive details of Israel’s many conflicts, Shapira fleshes out the quieter spaces between wars to explain all the whys that led to bloodshed. Existential questions are never shied away from in this thorough history.
This Is Palestine
110 épisodes de podcast
This Is Palestine
110 épisodes de podcastThe podcast “This Is Palestine” started in April 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to give a platform to Palestinian voices that often go unheard due to everyday injustices. With over 100 episodes from both long before and immediately after the October 7 attack by Hamas, this podcast provides critical context about the modern struggles of Palestinians, in their own words.
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
Ilan PappeIsraeli historian Pappé isn’t afraid to name hypocrisies and moral failings inherent in the founding of Israel, and how those failures continue to escalate and compound. “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine” — which argues that Israel forcibly removed indigenous populations of what is now Israel during the 1948 war — has been making waves ever since its initial publication in 2006.
My Promised Land: the triumph and tragedy of Israel
Ari ShavitShavit’s examination of Zionist thought is written for a Western audience, and was released to wide critical acclaim. In “My Promised Land,” Shavit attempts to bridge the gap between the “remarkable success of Zionism” and the “black box of Zionism.” While not perfect (what book about this intractable conflict could be?), it’s a beautifully written balm amid a media landscape full of extreme rhetoric.
A History of Hamas
ThroughlineIn under an hour, this episode of NPR’s “Throughline” podcast explains “the origins of Hamas, the context it developed in, and how we should understand it today.” Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that governs the Gaza Strip and is designated a terrorist group by multiple nations, “is a symptom of a larger problem.” This episode succinctly and sympathetically captures the nuances of these massive, thorny problems.
People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present
Dara HornConstant commemoration of the Holocaust keeps a cultural trauma fresh for many Jews, but to what end? Horn shows how revering dead Jews hasn’t dispelled people’s ignorance or stopped antisemitic attacks from rising. With fiery passion and raw pain, Horn’s collection of essays is a wake-up call to respect living Jews.
The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World
Dan SenorThe authors behind “Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle” explore another angle of Israeli success: their health and happiness. From longevity to human connection, Israel has managed — despite facing dangerous geopolitical conflicts — to succeed in ways that matter most to its citizens. “The Genius of Israel” is an inspiration, giving other nations plenty to learn from.
Against the Loveless World: A Novel
Susan Abulhawa“Against the Loveless World” is, quite simply, a masterpiece. It’s a complex novel that weaves together modern history between Palestine, Israel, and the greater Middle East. It’s also a fascinating character study of Nahr, a Palestinian refugee who refuses to be reduced to a geopolitical pawn.
Palestine +100: Stories from a Century after the Nakba
Basma GhalayiniThis short story collection imagines what life in Palestine might be like in the year 2048, a century after the tragedy of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Fears of forgetting this historical tragedy, and of further erasing Palestians lives and rights to the land, pervade these imaginative and sobering stories. But always, a strong sense of hope and deep sympathy for people on both sides of the conflict shines through.