The Question of Palestine [Paperback]

Edward W. Said (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 1992

Still a basic and indespensible account of the Palestinian question, updated to include the most recent developments in the Middle East- from the intifada to the Gulf war to the historic peace conference in Madrid.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Said's controversial but instructive Palestinian interpretation of the Mideast conflict now includes a new introduction and epilogue commenting on the intifada , Gulf war and Madrid peace talks.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Still a basic and indespensible account of the Palestinian question, updated to include the most recent developments in the Middle East- from the intifada to the Gulf war to the historic peace conference in Madrid.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; Vintage Bks Ed., Apr. 1992 edition (April 7, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679739882
• ISBN-13: 978-0679739883
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > History > Middle East > Palestine

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

198 of 215 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking Sides, September 18, 2002

By 

nadav haber (jerusalem Israel) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Question of Palestine (Paperback)

Does the fact that I am an Israeli Jew living in Israel mean that I should reject this book ? Does the fact that I think the book is crucially important mean that I am "taking sides" ?
I believe otherwise. I found this book to be very important, as it is an account of a Palestinian - an admittedly interested party in the conflict. Said knows about the Jews and Zionism much more than most Israeli Jews know about the Palestinians. But of course - Said is never "objective" - he himself is a refugee, who describes the side of Zionism as he and many others like him experienced.
Said shows surprising understanding of Zionism - he even says that one cannot compare the situation in Israel to that which existed in South Africa. He says that things here are more complicated. Said acknowledges the achievements of Zionism as far as Jews are concerned, another surprise.
I felt a deep passion for peace and compromise in this book - I believe that the author accepts the reality of a Jewish state in Israel. However, Said points out that no such peace can be achieved as long as Palestinian dreams are constantly shattered or ignored.
There are two sides to this story - I am on one and Said is on the other. Still, this book is important because it acknowledges the existance of two sides, and thus provides a road to conciliation that is so important to all of us.
I think every Jew and every Paelstinian should read this book, and so should evreybody with a serious interest in our troubled piece of land.

71 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignored or Denied, August 3, 2003

By 

Virgil Brown (White Oak, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Question of Palestine (Paperback)

In this book Edward Said presents an argument for the right of Palestinians to the land known as Palestine. Since the 7th century Palestine had been predominantly Arab. For example a 1922 census showed that 78% of the population was Arab. With the creation of Israel in 1948 by the UN, these Arabs were dispersed quite often by force. Ironically 1948 is the same year that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared that everyone has the right to return to his own country. The right of the Palestinians has been ignored or denied. Not even a plebiscite represents their point of view.

His argument is compeling. Edward Said writes logically and with insight. If finally the reader does not agree with him, the reader will surely think long and hard about it.

31 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very thoughtful introduction, November 28, 2001

By 

jacob cohen - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Question of Palestine (Paperback)

This book is a very considered and informative guide to Palestine and its colonisation. For me, though, this book perhaps spends too much time on the ideology of Zionism rather than spelling out some of the basic facts of dispossession and oppression. Still, it is salutary to be reminded of Zionisms ideological origins in European Romantic nationalism, with its notions of "People" and "Homeland" (which very much took root of course in Germany - the crucible of much Zionism). It is useful too to be reminded how the rhetoric of Zionism is uncannily similiar to other colonialist rhetoric, in particular the notion of the "land without a people". That is to say, as Said points out, colonial powers have ALWAYS attempted to justify their settlements, their forcible dispossession of indigeneous peoples by insisting that the target land was barren or underdeveloped, that the people currently residing there were in no fit state to look after the land - and so on and so on. We can see from Said's book that Zionism, far from being some unique self-expression of "Jewish Destiny" is wholly consistent with and emerges out of this larger intellectual tradition. Ultimately, the Zionists who settled in Palestine were European nationalists.

What is also very illuminating here, is that Said reveals just how candid Zionist polititians and military leaders/ agitators were about their aims and objectives and about the dispossession of the native Palestinian population. Figures such as MOshe Dyan, the book shows, were perfectly upfront about this being an Arab country which they - the Zionists - were taking over. Said quotes Dayan as follows: "We came to this country which was already populated by Arabs, and we are establishing a Hebrew, that is Jewish state here.. There is not one place built in this country that did not have aformer Arab population." American supporters of Israel will I think be shocked reading amny passages of this book, and will find that many cherished beliefs are in fact convenient myths reproduced by the American Zionist doctrinal system.