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The 51 Day War: Ruin and Resistance in Gaza Hardcover – June 30, 2015
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Blumenthal brings the battles in Gaza to life, detailing the ferocious clashes that took place when Israel's military invaded the besieged strip. He radically shifts the discussion around a number of highly contentious issues: the use of civilians as human shields by Israeli forces, the arbitrary targeting of Palestinian civilians, and the radicalization of Israeli public officials and top military personnel. Amid the rubble of Gaza's border regions, Blumenthal recorded the testimonies from scores of residents, documenting potential war crimes committed by the Israeli armed forces while carefully examining the military doctrine that led to them.
More than a chronicle of war and devastation, The 51 Day War is an urgent warning that the aftermath of the conflict has made another military assault on Gaza almost inevitable. And while the people of Gaza will once again prove their resilience, the world can no longer just stand aside and watch.
- Print length272 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherNation Books
- Publication dateJune 30, 2015
- Dimensions6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
- ISBN-10156858511X
- ISBN-13978-1568585116
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"An alarming report on Israel's devastating 2014 attack on Gaza.... Explosive, pull-no-punches reporting that is certain to stir controversy." Kirkus
The 51 Day War lays bare some of the names, faces and experiences behind [the] statistics Blumenthal offers an unembellished look at the misery on the ground in the Gaza Strip during Israel's Operation Protective Edge in 2014.” In These Times
Max Blumenthal's unflinching book on Gaza war must not be ignored The 51-Day War is the first account by a US journalist of an assault that dropped almost the same tonnage of explosives on Gaza as that on Hiroshima.” Electronic Intifada
The 51 Day War is a tribute to the resilience of a people facing an indescribable reality. ... Whether reading this book with an advanced knowledge of the history of Israel-Palestine or as an introduction to the conflict, The 51 Day War will leave you better informed and filled with an unquenchable, and very angry, thirst for justice and equality in Palestine and beyond.” Muftah.org
"As we would expect from one of the finest and most intrepid journalists working in America today, this meticulous, first-hand report on The Fifty One Day War will stand as the definitive account of the man-made catastrophe so cruelly inflicted on the men, women and children of Gaza in the summer of 2014.” Andrew Cockburn, author of Kill Chain: The Rise of the High Tech Assassins
"Max Blumenthal has spent the last decade transforming himself into one of the most vital voices in journalism today, always speaking truth to power with fearlessness and integrity. As with his previous books, The 51 Day War is sure to be talked about for years to come.” Reza Aslan, author of Zealot and No god but God
"Max Blumenthal audaciously takes in-your-face, on-the-ground journalism into the realm of geopolitics.” Juan Cole, Informed Comment, author of The New Arabs and Engaging the Muslim World
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Nation Books; First Edition (June 30, 2015)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 272 pages
- ISBN-10 : 156858511X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1568585116
- Item Weight : 1.05 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,627,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,249 in African Politics
- #2,171 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)
- #2,238 in Middle Eastern Politics
- Customer Reviews:
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Customers find the book an informative and well-researched account of the 2014 Israeli military assault on Gaza. They appreciate the eyewitness reporting from the ground in Gaza and the references provided for sources. The book provides a detailed, accurate, and factual account of the events.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book well-researched, detailed, and well-written. They find it an important read that provides enlightening information about the Gaza slaughter. The book provides comprehensive summaries and descriptions of all aspects of the tragedy.
"...As the account of a tragedy it is painful; but as a source of essential facts and a corrective to the blizzard of Israel-slanted propaganda that..." Read more
"...Perhaps it may be even worse. This is certainly the best report that I have seen, and I can corroborate its accuracy and detail...." Read more
"Superb book, detailing the massacre of Gaza's civilian population by the IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces), and all of it's attendant war crimes..." Read more
"...Max brings an overwhelming amount of information on every aspect of the tragedy, much of which is shocking even for those who might think of..." Read more
Customers appreciate the detailed account of the 2014 Israeli military assault on Gaza. They mention it documents sources and provides references for its accounts.
"...It is on the one hand a precise and detailed account of Israel's attack on the Palestinian population held captive in Gaza, in which at least 2,104..." Read more
"This a detailed account of the 2014 assault on Gaza by the Israeli military...." Read more
"...Blumenthal meticulously documents sources and provides reference for his accounts...." Read more
Customers appreciate the eyewitness reporting from Gaza. They find the book a detailed and accurate account of Israel's 2014 assault on Gaza.
"...This is eyewitness journalism - Blumenthal was present in Gaza and much of the material is first-hand observation - in the great tradition of..." Read more
"...Max is an accurate and detailed reporter but he also brings to reporting what some of us call the "globalized heart"...." Read more
"True reporting from the ground in Gaza of Israel's powerful military bombardment during its 51-day attack on the helpless men, women & children of..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2015This slim, precise, factual account of Israel's brutal 2014 assault on Gaza ranks high among the most important books of the year. This is eyewitness journalism - Blumenthal was present in Gaza and much of the material is first-hand observation - in the great tradition of journalism once so admired and now so seldom practiced in corporate media, backed up by thorough research and informed perspective. It is on the one hand a precise and detailed account of Israel's attack on the Palestinian population held captive in Gaza, in which at least 2,104 Palestinians were killed by Israeli bombs, missiles and bullets, according to UN figures, including some 495 children; and on the other hand an account of the political manipulations by which this assault on a largely undefended civilian population was presented to the world as if it were a defensive operation, with Israel bizarrely recast as imperiled victim. As the account of a tragedy it is painful; but as a source of essential facts and a corrective to the blizzard of Israel-slanted propaganda that dominated American media during the event, it is essential reading. It also continues the progression of Blumenthal's two previous books, Goliath and Republican Gomorrah, signalling a welcome return to uncompromised, direct observational journalism. We need more.The 51 Day War: Ruin and Resistance in Gaza
- Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2015I was living and working in Gaza City during the 51 Day Israeli attack on Gaza in 2014. Like Max I spent a good many hours at the hospitals and in the villages and met hundreds if not thousands of people who were impacted by those attacks. The destruction in the border villages is just as Max describes it. Perhaps it may be even worse. This is certainly the best report that I have seen, and I can corroborate its accuracy and detail. I met and knew many of the Palestinians that Max interviewed, and he has recorded their stories as I heard them as well. And his descriptions of the war and its aftermath are spot on. I have recommended this book to all of my friends in the social media world, and I can definitely recommend it to anyone reading this review. Max is an accurate and detailed reporter but he also brings to reporting what some of us call the "globalized heart". I met Max in Gaza during the war - and I was honored.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2016This book should be required reading for every high school senior. Future voters should be aware of where the horrible bombs and missiles developed by our military/industrial complex go and what horrible crimes are committed with these weapons of mass destruction. The descriptions of war crimes and crimes committed with the Israel Defense Force against the civilian population of Gaza are very hard to take but must be acknowledged. Of course one of the most important issues established by this book is the fact that this was not a 50 day war but a 51 day war the first day being the breaking of the cease fire by Israel when it assassinated 7 members of Hamas, provoking rockets, and unleashing the IDF massacre of thousands of civilians including hundreds of babies and the maiming of thousands including the maiming of 5,000 kids. The book should be read in conjunction with videos and documentaries of the massacre of the refugees from apartheid Israel residing in the Shejaiya refugee camp in Gaza. The video of the boy covered all over with shrapnel wounds at the beginning of the film probably documents the damage done by an American DIME bomb. American white phosphorus bombs burn to the bone. American flechette missiles shred.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2015To those wary of Blumenthal's reputation as left-wing polemicist, you should know this book is 99% facts, 1% opinion. You needn't hold any particular ideology to realize that too many innocent people were knowingly harmed by Israel, and that there is a term for its actions in Gaza --war crimes. Although you can't get through this book without feeling a bit depressed, I believe that thanks to social media and brave reporting from people like Blumenthal, that Israel was surprised and somewhat thwarted by the pushback it got from the international community. We were collectively horrified by the words and images pouring out of Gaza. Much like the effect that smart phone cameras have had on abusive cops, Israel is now on notice that its atrocities will come to light. Hopefully this will serve as a check on their barbarism.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2015Superb book, detailing the massacre of Gaza's civilian population by the IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces), and all of it's attendant war crimes against those whose ethnicity renders them, in the eyes of Israel, as superfluous.
Mainstream U.S media doesn't want to review this book because it depicts the hard truth, and when it comes to any discussion of Israel in the U.S, the truth is considered anathema, and generally offensive to the interests of the powerful Israel lobby.
Max Blumenthal casts a straightforward and sombre eye on how this latest massacre played out, and through on-the-ground reportage and interviews with those in the firing line - Gaza's civilian population - reveals the utter disregard for the lives of those people regardard by Israel as a demographic threat, and as an obstacle to the Zionist dream of ethnic purity in all of historic Palestine.
Top reviews from other countries
GooeyReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 20165.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Great book
figuredisfondoReviewed in Italy on August 2, 20155.0 out of 5 stars A must read
If you are interested in human rights or in social justice and you are tiered of the mainstream hasbara-driven coverage of the middle east this book is a must read.
Blumenthal is the Robert Risk of our generation
Jim MilesReviewed in Canada on August 11, 20155.0 out of 5 stars First hand account of Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
Working with both the broad historical background and first hand on the ground experience, Blumenthal presents a vivid and heart wrenching account of the 2014 attack on Gaza. This the story censored western mainstream media working with the Israeli government, a necessary read for all interested in and affected by this war, which directly or indirectly includes everyone.
JC RolzReviewed in Canada on December 9, 20175.0 out of 5 stars This book, which reaffirms my knowledge of Israeli atrocities ...
This book, which reaffirms my knowledge of Israeli atrocities, has simply solidified my resolve to spend my money ethically.
Sarah Grace FriesenReviewed in Canada on August 12, 20154.0 out of 5 stars Utterly depressing, but absolutely necessary
First, I'd like to point out that about 45% of this book consists of footnotes. I read the Kindle edition, and once I reached 55%, the content of the book was over. This is an extremely well-researched and well-documented book.
It's difficult to put into words my thoughts on this book. It's a document of the 51-day "war" that took place in Gaza in 2014. The key takeaway from me is Israel's policy of disproportionate response--equivalent to using a nuclear bomb to kill a mosquito. Whereas thousands of people in Gaza died last year, 70% of whom were civilians, only a handful of Israelis died. The book documents civilian apartments, media towers, and shopping malls that were destroyed because... well, there was no real reason given by the Israeli government aside from "there are probably terrorists there".
On one side, the Gazans are hemmed in by Israel who routinely refuses to allow Gazans to travel out of their country. On the other is Egypt which maintains a border crossing that is frequently closed. And, on the sea, there's the Israeli navy who routinely fires upon fishing vessels who go further out than 3 miles--even though the agreement that ended the war last year stipulated that Palestinian fishermen were allowed to go 6 miles off-shore.
Drones routinely penetrate Palestinian airspace, as Blumenthal notes on more than one occasion. If Palestine sent drones over Israel, what would happen? Would they be summarily shot down? Would it be an invitation for Israel to launch more rockets into Palestine?
Blumenthal makes the comparison between Palestine and a SuperMax prison. After reading the book, I can certainly see the similarities. I read this book after I read Ilan Pappe's *The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine*, a superlative book that traces the bloody foundation of the state of Israel.
I grew up thinking that Israel was in the right, that they had the right to defend their territory--but the policy of disproportionate response, killing hundreds for every Israeli citizen that dies, transforms them from victims into perpetrators. What Israel is doing to its neighbours is no different from what... well, perhaps historical comparisons at this point are unnecessary, but after reading the book, certain comparisons spring to mind.


