Customer Reviews

Palestine

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

You have to read Palestine carefully, especially if you are either strongly sympathetic or hostile to Israel. It would be easy to see the book as condemning Israel. It is not, but since Sacco's intention was to get to know the community that we in the US don't know well, the Palestinians, the book shows mainly their experiences and interpretations of them. (It would have been a good idea to include a timeline of the historical events related to the Israel/Palestine tragedy, so that people who do not know the facts could put into perspective the versions of history that Sacco's Palestinian interviewees have.)

I emphasize that this is not the book to turn to in order to figure out whether to side with the Israelis or the Palestinians. It does not give that kind of information, and there are other books for that (Thomas Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem is a good one). For the most part there are no terrorists or major political figures interviewed and there is no survey of the historical background, the mistakes and crimes that have left both peoples in this mess. What I saw in this brilliant piece of comic journalism is an on the ground look at what is going on with people caught in the storm.

Palestine is about the human spirit, often humorous and courageous. It is also about the tragedy that is what happens when people suffer at each other's hands, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, as well as physically, and lose the ability to see the human face.

Victims turn into villains. The scenes of the settlers attacking the Arab villages at night reminded me chillingly of Kristalnacht. A 16 year old Palestinian terrorist-in-training is chilling as he describes his recruitment at 13, his loss of interest in anything but the violence, and the version of history that he believes in. Sixteen year old settlers strutting through town with their Uzis are just as chilling. You are appalled by them all, and by the societies that have turned children into murderers. And you are touched by the crowd scenes, where you see tiny figures of men and women in the background, hurrying their children away, keeping them away from the stone throwing crowds.

You see the mythologies that both sides, though mainly (because of the nature of the book) the Palestinians, have created in order to give themselves pride and explain all the pain. You see that these mythologies are not going to save anyone.

Sacco does not idolize his Palestinian subjects, though he is very sympathetic to most of them. He shows the irrational hatred, the elevation of victimhood to almost divine status, and the self-destructiveness of some of the people he interviewed. He really likes the children, especially inquisitive little girls, but he shows that there are some nasty kids too. I emphasize that he likes these people, despite their human failings. Their errors do not mean they are to be dismissed, just as their suffering does not mean that the lines on which Arab politicians have chosen to explain the situation are right. It was Sacco's irony, actually, that allowed me to trust his observations of life in an occupied region, with all that "occupied" implies.

The most troubling part to the book, therefore, was the portrayal of the Israeli soldiers. I wish that he had interviewed Israeli soldiers, since they (and settlers) are the only Israelis present in the Palestian refugee camps, and the soldiers come off looking brutal much of the time. But in looking through the book a second time, I noticed that many of the soldiers looked terrified. This terror coupled with the brutality throws another light on the tragedy afflicting both Israelis and Palestinians.

I've been left haunted by one particular image, the depressed face of his last guide, an educated, unemployed volunteer with a school for the handicapped. It is not a dramatic, self dramatizing depression. Sacco's skill is impressive here, as he shows the man's face change, subtly, according to what is going on (sad tales, checkpoints, the charming chatter of a 10 year old girl)--he has other feelings, but his hopelessness has smothered the intensity.

I do not have much to contribute that has not already been stated by other customer reviewers but I would like to add to the overwhelming consensus that this is an excellent book and, since it is done in comic book style, I would recommend it as an effective tool for adolescent readers in our high schools. Saccco's book was written before the most recent wave of Palestinian suicide bombings which has wreaked havoc both to Israel and to outside sympathy for the Palestinian cause. However, this book should give all open-minded readers insight into the despair that has led so many Palestinians to support terrorism. Sacco's disarmingly informal writing style and his powerful artwork convey both the constant systematic and randomly unsystematic injustice that Israel, its soldiers, settlers and other citizens have directed at the Palestinians. Sacco exposes the economic discrimination that gives incentives to West Bank Jewish settlers and imposes taxes and other bureacratic and physical barriers on Palestinian attempts to earn a living: Palestinian agricultural produce left on the docks to spoil before it is shipped to European customers, the denial of adequate water and permits to drill deeper wells, cutting down groves of olive trees, etc. Sacco also takes us inside hospitals where Israeli soldiers intimidate and beat patients, nurses, and doctors, disrupting surgeries, treatments, etc. Individual Palestinians recount their prison experiences: the psychological and physical torture and the inhuman living conditions, abuses of the legal system, etc. There is much more in this new edition--printed in 2001 and again in 2002--at roughly 300 pages, this is nearly double the size of an earlier edition. Everyone with an interest in the Middle East Crisis or terrorism should read this book. This book is pro-Palestinian but it is not anti-Semitic or against the existence of an Israeli state. It is also recommended by Art Spiegelman, the great cartoonist and author of the Jewish Holocaust comic classics, Maus I and II. For more great info on the plight of the Palestinians, I recommend regular reading of Tikkun, an excellent, liberal Jewish-American bi-monthly periodical.

Joe Sacco's "Palestine" provides the western world with a powerful account of the Palestinian perspective of their conflict with Israel. Sacco's path takes him through much of the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem and parts of Israel. He tells the stories of the people he meets and through them paints a picture of the brutality and injustice they endure under the apartheid policies of Israel. With the media coverage of the conflict being what it is, the accessibility of the graphic novel format makes "Palestine" a singularly important work. By communicating the truth, perhaps a lasting solution to this conflict can be found.

Although the journalistic content of "Palestine" is its primary value, it also stands on its own aesthetically. Sacco also writes well and the narrative flows smoothly from one part of his journey to another.

It may be the case that in the United States the issues of the Middle East are presented in a very subjective manner (pro-Israeli) through mainstream media. This is not the case where I live now, where there is a pro-Palestinian sentiment, expressed again in a subjective manner.

The value of this book is relative to the exposure one has already had on the subject. If you do not know much about it, and especially if you have lived in an environment which portrays Palestinians as bad and Israelis as good, then this is a good book for you, that will open your eyes to the other side of the story.

However, you should not then regard this book as the truth. It is subjective as well in its own manner. Its subjectivity lies not so much on the presentation of non-truths, or its certain exagerations, but rather on its omission of truths which support the other side. For example, when the name "Golda Meier" comes up, the book mentions statements she made about the Palestinians which are ridiculous and cruel: and she did make such statements. However, when the name Nasser comes up, he appears only as someone who "symbolises Arab nationalism and unity," which is a great injustice to history and to the reader. Moreover, the coverage of the Israeli side of the story is so superficial, that it would be better if it had been omitted altogether.

Therefore, you should follow up in quest for knowledge on the subject with more material, from both sides. (try not to spend time looking for something "objective!" It does not exist.

Finally, if you have already been exposed to the various sides of the debate, this book may prove a good way to remind yourself that, after all the analysis of whose fault was what, and who is historically to blame, and what the legal issues are and the technicalities, there is alot of human suffering involved. I, personally, have experienced the human suffering from the Israeli side, and can venture to assert that it can reach similar levels. Afterall, if you start debating on moral issues by counting body bags, and comparing who suffers more, and who deserves it more, then you have lost the plot.

(The most disturbing aspect of this book is the portrayal of the place of women in society - the west vs. Palestine.)

If it were possible to give a book 10 stars, then this book would get them from me, I was awed by it. I've not read a graphic book since Maus, and would not have picked this up if a dozen friends hadn't recommended it to me. Joe Sacco's Palestine (and his later book on Bosnia called Safe Area Gorazde), is a miracle of observation, compassion and humanity. It does what most books, most newspapers fail to do, illustrate the plight of Palestinian people, show us why they are angry, and why some are driven to terrifying acts of suicide. It should be read in schools.

Sacco never preaches, he just reports. And the reporting gave me all sorts of insight into what our media never seems to touch: the lives of ordinary Palestinians, day-to-day. It is astounding. And Sacco is not an apologist for terrorism; in fact he doesn't even discuss Palestinian terrorists. He just talks about what he saw: regular people. Sometimes intelligent and noble, sometimes small-minded and misguided. Just like people everywhere else. But when you think that SO many Palestinians have lived under these contitions their whole lives- have never travelled, and every Jew they have ever met has been a settler or a soldier- you start to understand why this is a no-win situation for anyone.

One of the most captivating books I have recently read. I feel bad that I only discovered it by chance. I wonder if the book was ever advertized appropriately. What a loss! This is a gem of a book and I am buying 5 copies to give away.
Don't let the comic style of the book or the design of its cover desuade you from buying it. It is a very serious book. I was shocked by the facts as shown. One can read volumes in the eyes of the people as sketched, particularly those of the elderly. One sees despair, indignation, genuinity and all the while the generosity of those who have so little to spare. The author is very adapt at showing the inhumane conditions in the Palestinian camps he visited, sentiments that are echoed by other authors who visited the camps, though not as eloquently (Kate Halsell "Journey to Jerusalem" and Wendy Orange "Coming Home to Jerusalem"). No doubt about it, the book is very timely and a good source for readers who know little about the plight of the Palestinians, and a good reference for those who feel they know it all.

This book on Palestine from Joe Sacco, is an incredibly powerful medium to relay the events in the occupied territories, in a style that everyone can understand. Unlike most other books written on the topic -in dry and boring terms that seem to only elicit the interest of historians or those involved in the conflict in one way or another- this book captivates the reader in its spell, from cover to end.
Sacco does an amazing job at covering a wide range of issues that represent life under occupation, in addition to delving slightly into the history behind it to give one a comprehensive view. In his coverage, he keenly pays attention to the smallest of details, from capturing the emotions on one's face, to the markings on a wall in a refugee camp.
Throughout it all, he masterfully provokes a wide range of emotions in the reader.

What comes through above all however, is the brutal honesty that Sacco strikes his readers with, in conveying his own fears and sarcasm simultaneously.

It is no wonder therefore, that the nine-issue comic series this book collected under one cover, won a 1996 American Book Award.
For anyone who was ever curious about the situation in Palestine today, or wanted to know more about the Israeli occupation and why the Middle East is such a boiling point, this book is a must read.

Joe Sacco's collection of stories that he witnessed first-hand while living in Palestine will move you and break your heart. You're not human if you don't feel moved by the constant fear and humiliation the Palestinians live under. Joe Sacco presents all the players from Israeli peaceniks who never seem to make an impact to the IDF with its varied ranks from despicably draconian sadists to hesitant Israeli soldiers just following orders and the aggressively antagonist settlers. The focus is on the Palestinians though. How they have to check with big brother just to move from city to city and sometimes from block to block in their own country. How the settlers can do no wrong and can act with impunity against the Palestinians. How Palestinians can be jailed, abused, and tortured on the slightest pretext. How children can be detained and tortured for throwing rocks. Joe Sacco will also make you laugh at times such as how he has to drink tea drowned in sugar for the umpteenth time so as to not offend his hosts. The Israeli occupiers and settlers aren't the only antagonists involved though. We also get a look at Hamas and we see how they attempt to enforce Islamic fundamentalism, but find that they cannot. We also see the struggle within a struggle as the varied landscape of Palestinian women is analyzed. The stories and accounts are so similar that one can't help but see the truth in them. Most of the Palestinians are innocent civilians who merely seek to make a living and just exist, but find their every move under scrutiny. It's nothing short of outrageous to witness a man being jailed without evidence and then kept in prison for months without trial or evidence just because the prosecution is working with the jailors to get a coerced confession through the use of torture, sleep deprivation, and lies. Joe Sacco's work gives us insights into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in ways that you won't see on tv. Sacco's work is about the everyday people who live and die under this brutal occupation. Sacco makes it clear that sure there are worse places, but those places don't claim to be noble democracies like Israel. What we get in this graphic report is a multi-layered series of events involving ordinary Palestinians who are not involved in any insidious activity. We learn a great deal from Sacco's reports about what is going on and how most Americans either don't know or don't care about the facts on the ground. There are sprinkles of hope though. We watch as some Palestinians express a desire to share the land with Israelis in some measure of peace and equality and we hear an Israeli wish for a state that is not based upon religion or ethnicity, but is a multi-cultural state like the US. What moved me most was why the Palestinians don't all just leave because it's obvious that the occupation is designed to coerce into leaving the territories so that the Israelis can implant an artificial majority of Jewish settlers. It's a testament to their spirit and strength that they don't give in to tyranny and injustice and simply keep holding on in the hopes that the occupation will end some day. It's not surprising that this book comes from Fantagraphics by the way. They've been putting out great work since Love and Rockets and this is no exception. Palestine is a huge book and you won't be able to read it in sitting unless you read all day. Considering the power of this piece you might end up doing just that though.

This comic book made the plight of the Palestinian people real to me in a way no other book, or even documentary film, ever has. What makes the comic format so well suited for this story is that unlike other formats such as documentary film or prose, Sacco is able to graphically illustrate the stories that his interview subjects tell him, so we get to see, for example, what its like inside Ansar III prison, or at an Israeli "interrogation" of a Palestinian stone-thrower. He is a gifted illustrator-- his mastery of displaying subtle human emotions through facial expression is breathtaking.

This book series will probably be criticized for being "one sided," and it definitely is (not one bad thing happens to an Israeli in the book.) Yet, as the narrator replies when an Israeli woman in the comic says, "You should hear our side of the story,".... "I've heard nothing but the Israeli side most of my life." Here is a gripping view from the other side of the line.