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The Battle for Justice in Palestine Paperback – March 25, 2014
Purchase options and add-ons
- Print length312 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHaymarket Books
- Publication dateMarch 25, 2014
- Dimensions6 x 0.7 x 8.9 inches
- ISBN-101608463249
- ISBN-13978-1608463244
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Editorial Reviews
Review
―Alice Walker
"This is the best book on Palestine in the last decade. No existing book presents the staggering details and sophistication of analysis that Abunimah’s book offers. Abunimah’s scope includes an analysis of the politics, economics, environmental policies, identity politics, international relations, academic scholarship and activism, global solidarity, and official and unofficial lobbies that have come to bear on Palestine and the Palestinians. The Battle for Justice in Palestine is the most comprehensive treatment of Palestinian suffering under Israeli control and offers the only possible way to end it. It is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the current situation of the Palestinians and Israel."
―Joseph Massad, Columbia University
"With incisive style and scrupulous attention to documentation and detail, Ali Abunimah's new book offers a complex portrait, from every angle, of the Palestinian struggle for justice today."
―Rebecca Vilkomerson, Executive Director, Jewish Voice for Peace
"A crucially needed dose of educated hope. This is what hits me from this fascinating amalgam of incisive journalism, analytic prose and intellectually compelling vision that emanates from many years of brilliant activism. Sailing effortlessly from the domestic to the global, from Johannesburg to Belfast and from Chicago to Tel Aviv, Ali Abunimah paints a lucid, accessible picture out of a complex web of racism, racialized oppression, and creative resistance. Abunimah does not give us hope; he helps us dig for it within us by meticulously laying out before us the facts, the trends, the challenges and the inspiring resistance to them."
―Omar Barghouti, Palestinian human rights activist, co-founder of the BDS movement, author of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights
"In The Battle for Justice in Palestine, Ali Abunimah―the most astute commentator writing on Palestine today―bursts the leaky myths of Israeli exceptionalism while carefully examining where the battle for Palestine is currently being waged. Forget the endless “peace process,” which has ushered in little more than massive economic exploitation, tragic environmental degradation, and servile and destructive politics. Focus instead, Abunimah tells us, on the many civil society and campus initiatives around the world that are bravely ushering in a new era of global grass-roots organizing for justice. Rich in information and deep in analysis, The Battle for Justice in Palestine will inspire readers that Palestinian self-determination is not only possible but absolutely necessary."
―Moustafa Bayoumi, author, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America
"Every community that stands fast, loving its people and its land, its customs and its ways, will be seen, eventually, as worthy of saving. This is because it is our own humanity we are learning from, our own value. There will also arise a special voice to champion us, one that is brave, trustworthy and true. In The Battle for Justice in Palestine it is the voice of Ali Abunimah, fierce, wise - a warrior for justice and peace - someone whose large heart, one senses, beyond his calm, is constantly on fire. A pragmatist but also a poet. This is the book to read to understand the present bizarre and ongoing complexity of the Palestine/Israel tragedy. And though it is filled with the grim reality of this long and deadly, ugly and dehumanizing, conflict, it also offers hope: that as more people awaken to the shocking reality of what has for decades been going on, we can bring understanding and restitution to the Palestinian people. Their struggle to exist in dignity and peace in their own homeland - and this may be the biggest surprise of Abunimah's book - is mirrored in the struggles for survival and autonomy of more than a few of us."
Alice Walker
"This is the best book on Palestine in the last decade. No existing book presents the staggering details and sophistication of analysis that Abunimah’s book offers. Abunimah’s scope includes an analysis of the politics, economics, environmental policies, identity politics, international relations, academic scholarship and activism, global solidarity, and official and unofficial lobbies that have come to bear on Palestine and the Palestinians. The Battle for Justice in Palestine is the most comprehensive treatment of Palestinian suffering under Israeli control and offers the only possible way to end it. It is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the current situation of the Palestinians and Israel."
Joseph Massad, Columbia University
"With incisive style and scrupulous attention to documentation and detail, Ali Abunimah's new book offers a complex portrait, from every angle, of the Palestinian struggle for justice today."
Rebecca Vilkomerson, Executive Director, Jewish Voice for Peace
"A crucially needed dose of educated hope. This is what hits me from this fascinating amalgam of incisive journalism, analytic prose and intellectually compelling vision that emanates from many years of brilliant activism. Sailing effortlessly from the domestic to the global, from Johannesburg to Belfast and from Chicago to Tel Aviv, Ali Abunimah paints a lucid, accessible picture out of a complex web of racism, racialized oppression, and creative resistance. Abunimah does not give us hope; he helps us dig for it within us by meticulously laying out before us the facts, the trends, the challenges and the inspiring resistance to them."
Omar Barghouti, Palestinian human rights activist, co-founder of the BDS movement, author of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights
"In The Battle for Justice in Palestine, Ali Abunimahthe most astute commentator writing on Palestine todaybursts the leaky myths of Israeli exceptionalism while carefully examining where the battle for Palestine is currently being waged. Forget the endless peace process,” which has ushered in little more than massive economic exploitation, tragic environmental degradation, and servile and destructive politics. Focus instead, Abunimah tells us, on the many civil society and campus initiatives around the world that are bravely ushering in a new era of global grass-roots organizing for justice. Rich in information and deep in analysis, The Battle for Justice in Palestine will inspire readers that Palestinian self-determination is not only possible but absolutely necessary."
Moustafa Bayoumi, author, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Haymarket Books; First Edition (March 25, 2014)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 312 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1608463249
- ISBN-13 : 978-1608463244
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.7 x 8.9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,306,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #999 in African Politics
- #1,691 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)
- #1,751 in Middle Eastern Politics
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Ali Abunimah is a journalist and the co-founder and executive director of the widely acclaimed publication The Electronic Intifada, a nonprofit, independent online publication focusing on Palestine. A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Chicago, he is a frequent speaker on the Middle East, contributing regularly to numerous publications. He is the author of One Country, A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse and The Battle for Justice in Palestine. He has been an active part of the movement for justice in Palestine for 20 years. He is the recipient of a 2013 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book provides insightful and well-researched information about the Palestinian struggle against racism. They describe it as a valuable read for both new and advanced readers. The writing quality is described as thorough, well-documented, and concise.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They appreciate the expert analysis and framing of the topic by an expert in the field. The book is thorough and documented, making it a terrific source.
"...Ali's an expert at framing the debate and this book is his best work yet...." Read more
"Insightful and well researched...." Read more
"Excellent review of the situation both on the scene in Palestine and the political forces at work shaping US attitudes and policies...." Read more
"...It informs the reader of the social unrest on the college campuses as a result of this "cover up" and what is being done by the students to..." Read more
Customers find the book valuable and enjoyable to read. They say it's an excellent book about the Palestinian struggle against racism, and it should be valuable for both new and advanced readers. They also mention reading the book gives them hope for a better future for Palestine.
"...However, this book was still valuable not just because it is an excellent collection of stories directly related to the struggle for equality for..." Read more
"...Well written and a pleasure to read. I already knew much of what Abunimah spoke of, however, I had not yet made the connections globally...." Read more
"...I absolutely do not. But the book is valuable and I recommend purchasing it because it definitively demonstrates that the goal of the BDS..." Read more
"...Reading the book was an enjoyable process giving me hope for a better future for Palestine." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's writing quality. They find it well-written, well-documented, and well-researched. The author is praised for his clear and concise writing style.
"...He did an outstanding job of writing this book for two groups: Those new to learning about the fight for Palestinian rights and those who have an..." Read more
"...Well written and a pleasure to read. I already knew much of what Abunimah spoke of, however, I had not yet made the connections globally...." Read more
""The Battle for Justice in Palestine" is a well written, fact based account of "'what is going on" in Israel/Palestine and the..." Read more
"...I also recommend The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan. Both books are highly readable and will make you better prepared to understand the tensions and..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2014As a social science researcher who studies Palestinians, I read books like this mostly to see how people frame the debate. I study the topic on a daily basis and not much information is new to me. However, this book was still valuable not just because it is an excellent collection of stories directly related to the struggle for equality for Palestinians, but also because of how Ali puts that information together.
He did an outstanding job of writing this book for two groups: Those new to learning about the fight for Palestinian rights and those who have an advanced knowledge of the topic. The book is framed to cover the basics. He addresses whether Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state (as opposed to a state for all citizens), what happens to Israeli Jews if there is a one-state solution instead of a two-state solution, how foreigners (and Palestinian elitists) are trying to profit from Palestine rather than trying to legitimately solve its problems, the suppression of Palestine solidarity in the U.S., and more. That's a wide range of topics, but they are the basics. The good news for those who have a more advanced knowledge of the topics at hand is that Ali goes into a level of detail which will likely frame these subjects in a way that will teach them something new.
Another strength of this book is in how Ali compares the current issues around the struggle for Palestinian rights with other battles for equality. For example, he goes into detail about the change in Israel's reputation around the world (and in the US) and compares that with the change in American public opinion about gay marriage. This may seem odd on the surface, but not when you realize that a few decades ago a public debate about gay marriage being a basic right would have been unheard of to many Americans. Such is the case with how Americans view Palestine/Israel and there is ample evidence (not typically covered by the mass media in the US) to prove it. Concepts like this take this book beyond just a basic primer of what's happening right now and teaches the reader how to look toward the future and how that impacts the conflict. This book doesn't just say "this is what will happen." It teaches you how to look at the entire debate in a new way, which is why it should be valuable to both new and advanced readers.
Ali's an expert at framing the debate and this book is his best work yet. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Palestine/Israel.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2015Insightful and well researched. Ali Abunimah does an excellent job of connecting the global dots without telling the reader fully how to make sense of the information. I think this should be required reading for anyone speaking on or to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Well written and a pleasure to read.
I already knew much of what Abunimah spoke of, however, I had not yet made the connections globally. He makes clear a complex and murky subject matter that is made murkier by the underhanded dealings of Israel and global actors, such as the U.S.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2014I give the book four stars for its honesty (certainly not for its turgid writing). And certainly not because I agree with it. I absolutely do not.
But the book is valuable and I recommend purchasing it because it definitively demonstrates that the goal of the BDS (the movement to Boycott, Divest from, and Sanction Israel) is to eliminate the State of Israel, utterly and completely.
No, the author (one of the pioneers of the BDS movement) does not favor driving Israel into the sea. He is not, by any means, advocating genocide.
His goal, honestly stated, is the dismantling of the State of Israel, all its laws and institutions, and replacing it with a Palestinian state in which Jews would have minority rights.
Abunimah makes this point clearly in both chapter 2 and chapter 7 which are the book's key chapters. For him, there is no such thing as an Israeli. There are only "Israeli Jews." This is the precise distinction rightwing Jews make against the creation of a Palestinian state. There are no "Palestinians," just "Palestinian Arabs" who have no national rights. And shouldn't either.
Of course, it is hard to imagine any Jew (let alone Israeli) accepting the offer Abunimah proffers:that after paying reparations to Palestinians for both stealing their land and all the crimes against them, "Israeli Jews" will be permitted to live in Tel Aviv, Nablus or anywhere else in Palestine with full minority rights, like under the Ottomans.
That's it. That is Abunimah' goal and the goal of the BDS movement he represents: the eradication of Israel as a state and Israeli as a nationality. From his point of view, this makes sense: he recognizes no Jewish connection to Palestine at all. For him, Palestine is as unconnected to Jews as Uganda would have been if Zionists had chosen it as the Jewish homeland. But, he concedes, Jews live there so they can stay but, as he spells out, with no national rights.
Fortunately, Abunimah's vision will never happen. Jews will never be stateless again. That is why the only fair resolution of the conflict is two states for two peoples: Israel within the '67 lines and Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza and East Jerusalem.
Only a fool thinks the State of Israel is going to disappear. And only someone who wishes Jews ill would want it to. Abunimah's book, like everything he writes, indicates a deep loathing for any Jew who does not believe, as he does so fervently, that Israel has no right to exist.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2014Excellent review of the situation both on the scene in Palestine and the political forces at work shaping US attitudes and policies. For once, we can read a version that does not require the approval of Israel and AIPAC. People in the US do not realize what a nightmare the Gaza prison camp (no other term is strong enough) and how the settlements in the West Bank prevent any two-state solution. This scholarly work avoids polemics and is richly documented. One cannot make a fair judgment about the Palestine situation without reading a book like this to gain full perspective.
Top reviews from other countries
FaisalReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 20185.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant. A must read.
This is a truly exceptional work. It is not for novices and assumes some prior knowledge of the topic. I have been reading on this area for circa 20 years (although I claim no expertise) and in my view Ali is the finest exponent of the Palestinian cause since Edward Said. Like Said his arguments are invariably powerful, compelling and substantiated. His understanding of the subject matter is deep, detailed and intricate.
The book begins with a chapter on 'shared values' between the US and Israel. This is a chapter I feel everybody should read; one that I found nothing short of a revelation. Whilst I was aware of some parallels between Israel and the US; I was until I read this chapter ignorant of the extent to which they shared values. As Ali brilliantly makes clear after providing blacks with equal rights in the 1960's in-order to appease the white majority officialdom basically created a system of discrimination against Black people (and minorities). This was implemented in a very clever, organised and systemic fashion using 'neutral' non-racist terminology. So although some black people have achieved high office the vast majority are confined to a vicious cycle of poverty, violence and incarceration. US prisons are full of minorities and black people; many on a long-term basis for no other reason than they can't afford cash bail. Israel has effectively imitated this system of oppression against it's own minorities and the Palestinian's generally to ensure Jewish supremacy.
Every chapter is written in equally cogent fashion and can be read as individual articles. The comparisons he makes between the South African and Northern Ireland problems and the Palestinian question are also excellent. After understanding this perspective I feel it's well nigh impossible to argue against a one-state solution (with equal rights and representation) for this conflict. Those who advocate for a two-state I feel in many cases are either intentionally obfuscating or simply do not understand the issue well enough. It is also not the right moral solution. As Ali elucidates the ANC were uncompromising in their desire for equal rights for black people; and there were many who right up until the end of apartheid in South Africa argued it would be impossible for blacks and whites to live together in harmony. However, that is exactly what South African society is now learning to do. I have seen many wonderful developments in the 'rainbow' nation that would have been impossible in the era of apartheid: such as a brown Muslim captain of the cricket team or black cricket and rugby players (some of them the finest in the World and in the teams on merit).
However, the ANC was outmanoeuvred in the economic realm. What needed to happen alongside the political redistribution of power was an economic redistribution of power. The alignment of the white 'powers that be' with International neo-liberal institutions (espousing neo-liberal economics) meant that this did not occur; this explains the predicament of many black people in South Africa and the inequities of it's society in the post-apartheid era.
Ali makes no bones about the fact that in a one-state Jews will be a minority (if a substantive one). However, for those who are afraid of this outcome (perhaps understandably given the history of Jewish people) Ali points out (and substantiates) that genuine democracies have a much better track record of protecting minorities than other systems of government; alas almost as many Jews live in the US as they do in Israel.
Ali highlights the importance of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement. An organised International boycott style movements is perhaps now the only way to hold Israel to account and to end it's effective apartheid. However, Israel is not going down without a fight and Ali highlights Israel's extensive, clever and well-resourced efforts to counter BDS and those who speak out against it crimes. In recent months, we have seen no better example of this than the vicious Anti-Semitic witch hunt against the UK Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. As the Al Jazeera documentary the lobby showed; a campaign led by Israel's ministry of Strategic Affairs and It's embassy in the UK with effective collaborators such as the Labour Friends of Israel led a sustained and vicious attack against Jeremy Corbyn due to his Pro-Palestinians sympathies. In a further related chapter, Ali highlights the complex and tactical 'War on Campus' between the respective sides in the conflict. Both sides understand the importance of students and the future impact some of these people will have on the United States foreign policy.
Ali, concludes his brilliant book by emphasising the centrality of self-determination in the Palestinian cause. It is important to understand the difference between this concept and sovereignty. For example, the Palestinians could have sovereignty over the areas that they currently reside in but this does not constitute self-determination. Self-determination is about legitimacy; and the moral right for a people to determine their own form of statehood and and government. This however, does not mean that Jews currently residing in Israel would face the kind of treatment that has been meted out to Palestinian's over the last 70 years; it means however that they will have to renounce any claims to superior or privileged treatment.
SarahReviewed in Canada on June 16, 20145.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening
A fascinating report on the justice movement for Palestine in the States. I like how he relates it to racial justice movements here in the States and how not only similar they are, but how they work together. His arguments point out the absurdities in the arguments of Zionists, particularly "liberal" Zionists. He does so in a calm, non-hysterical manner (unlike pro-Israel opponents). I would have liked him to document the pro-Israel movement in Europe (and their ties to the neo-fascist movement). But non-the-less, I still recommend this book. I find it to be a great companion piece to Max Blumenthal's "Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel" which I just finished reading before diving into this book.
uglybugReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 20245.0 out of 5 stars Important information
This is a very informative book.
It is easy to read and gives a good insight into the struggles - oppression, subjugation, racism, cruelty - endless problems the Palestinians have to “put up and shut up” with throughout every single day of their lives……
I believe this should be read by everyone to get a greater understanding of the situation in Palestine more now than ever
I more than highly recommend you to read this, I ask you to read it
OMRReviewed in Canada on September 20, 20145.0 out of 5 stars very important book for any one who not only cares ...
very important book for any one who not only cares about justice for Palestinians but for all oppressed people around the world.
K. BrothersReviewed in Canada on September 15, 20194.0 out of 5 stars Important insight into what Palestinians must negotiate for
Abunimah adds the element of self-determination that must be included along with the Palestinian demands for freedom, equal rights, and the right to return to their own homes.






