The Time of the Burning Sun: Six Days of War, Twelve Weeks of Hope [Paperback]

Michael Bernet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2004

The Six Day Israel-Arab War of 1967 was not a war of aggression. From the perspective of International Law, Israel did not "invade" Palestine, which had been illegally overrun by the Egyptian and Jordanian armies in 1948. Many of the Palestinian Arabs welcomed Israel's victory over the harsh occupants of their land, and rejoiced in the aura of hope, respect and dignity that Israel's Jews offered them. The intense war had produced very few civilian casualties and little damage to civilian property. An era of peace and coexistence was at hand. Jews and Arabs intermingled freely, shopping for bargains in each other's territory. The Israeli cabinet was making plans to give back the captured territories to the Arabs . . . And then, twelve weeks later, the Arab states met in conclave in Khartoum and issued three no's, three vows: No peace with Israel, no negotiations with Israel, no recognition of Israel. Now, 37 years later, the peace that might have been has turned into a murderous and unending war, escalating in intensity by the week. Michael Bernet, a journalist, listened to participants and survivors of the war, Jews and Arabs, soldiers and civilians, clerics and kibbutzniks, at every social level. This is a brilliant account of the war, of the mixture of fears and hopes and anguish experienced by the ordinary man and woman, and the peace that almost was. First published by the New American Library in 1968, this new reprint includes an added preface and an added epilogue to bring it up to date, together with maps, a glossary and a list of characters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Chester and West (August 3, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975582518
• ISBN-13: 978-0975582510
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,931,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looking back, August 15, 2004

By 

Miri (Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Time of the Burning Sun: Six Days of War, Twelve Weeks of Hope (Paperback)

I remember the excitement and optimism as a young Israeli teenager in the summer of 1967. Venturing across the "green line" to meet with people my age in Eastern Jerusalem and Ramalla. I was filled with awe at the prospect of peace and coexistence.
Jews and Arabs got together like long-lost cousins, rejoicing in the rapid end to the war, learning to understand and accept each other, seeking channels for cooperation in education, health, commerce, democratization.
This book takes me back to those optimistic euphoric days and sheds some light on the reasons why we are now at such a dead-end...

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only it had succeeded, October 3, 2004

By 

Corn Field (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Time of the Burning Sun: Six Days of War, Twelve Weeks of Hope (Paperback)

Re-reading the book after many years brings up poignant reveries of what could have been if it had only succeeded. The heady optimism, the potential for a true peace, for harmony. Michael Bernet captures the human story of arab and jew, soldier and civilian during the brief days of war.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clear insight into the way it all happened, August 22, 2004

By 

Media Watcher (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Time of the Burning Sun: Six Days of War, Twelve Weeks of Hope (Paperback)

The Six Day War of 1967 was perhaps the last war of the old era, before media technology developments facilitated bringing the gory truth into our living rooms and rendered all operations seemingly transparent. Michael Bernet, with this excellent book, sheds light on what really happened to the people involved. He does this like a good documentary director, with parallel editing and surprise twists in the 'plot' of fascinating real life stories, and with his own refreshing insights.
I am eagerly waiting for Michael Bernet's new book on the psychology of the Middle East.