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The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Paperback – September 1, 2007

by Ilan Pappe (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,950 ratings
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The book that is providing a storm of controversy, from ‘Israel’s bravest historian’ (John Pilger)

Renowned Israeli historian, Ilan Pappe's groundbreaking work on the formation of the State of Israel.

'Along with the late Edward Said, Ilan Pappe is the most eloquent writer of Palestinian history.' NEW STATESMAN

Between 1947 and 1949, over 400 Palestinian villages were deliberately destroyed, civilians were massacred and around a million men, women, and children were expelled from their homes at gunpoint.

Denied for almost six decades, had it happened today it could only have been called 'ethnic cleansing'. Decisively debunking the myth that the Palestinian population left of their own accord in the course of this war, Ilan Pappe offers impressive archival evidence to demonstrate that, from its very inception, a central plank in Israel’s founding ideology was the forcible removal of the indigenous population. Indispensable for anyone interested in the current crisis in the Middle East.

***

'Ilan Pappe is Israel's bravest, most principled, most incisive historian.' JOHN PILGER

'Pappe has opened up an important new line of inquiry into the vast and fateful subject of the Palestinian refugees. His book is rewarding in other ways. It has at times an elegiac, even sentimental, character, recalling the lost, obliterated life of the Palestinian Arabs and imagining or regretting what Pappe believes could have been a better land of Palestine.'TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT

'A major intervention in an argument that will, and must, continue. There's no hope of lasting Middle East peace while the ghosts of 1948 still walk.' INDEPENDENT
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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Oneworld Publications
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    5.1 x 1.2 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781851685554
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1851685554
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

'A major intervention in an argument that will, and must, continue. There's no hope of lasting Middle East peace while the ghosts of 1948 still walk.' ― Independent

'Along with the late Edward Said, Ilan Pappe is the most eloquent writer of Palestinian history.' ― New Statesman

'Pappe has opened up an important new line of inquiry into the vast and fateful subject of the Palestinian refugees. His book is rewarding in other ways. It has at times an elegiac, even sentimental, character, recalling the lost, obliterated life of the Palestinian Arabs and imagining or regretting what Pappe believes could have been a better land of Palestine.' ― Times Literary Supplement

'Ilan Pappe is Israel's bravest, most principled, most incisive historian.' ― John Pilger - director of The War on Democracy and author of Freedom Next Time

'Superb account of how, and why, Palestinians were driven out of their homes.' ― Socialist Review

'Pappe’s book is an essential read for anyone trying to understand the politics and history of the Middle East.' ― Frontline Magazine (an Independent Marxist review from Scotland)

'Leading Israeli historian Ilan Pappe delves into his country's bloodied past in search of answers in the present.' ― Morning Star

'Pappe is one of the brave few voices to stand up and be counted in the oppressive atmosphere of Israeli society. Pappe's book is a searing account of the horrific brutality perpetrated during the birth of the state of Israel.' ― Morning Star

'Pappe is well positioned to lob a grenade such as this one into the twin worlds of Middle Eastern studies and politics. Pappe's book should shock and shame the academic world' ― Arab Banker

'Pappe's ethical clarity and humane vision permeate The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine... Given the meticulous research and compelling moral imperative embodied in The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, Zionism itself may be in trouble.' ― Race and Class

'Pappe offers a scorching indictment of Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people in The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine.' ― Metro

'A bold expose of Israel's purge of its Arab population in the early years of its existence. It should be read by anyone wanting to grasp the seemingly unfathomable background to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Pappe himself should be supported and applauded.' ― Morning Star

'Ilan Pappe's The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine is a vital contribution to the scholarship from these new historians… Pappe forever puts to rest any doubt that Palestinians were systematically and brutally expelled from their homeland.' ― Against the Current (An independent socialist organisation)

'Pappe’s book will command attention.' ― Washington Report on Middle East Affairs

'Superb account of how, and why, Palestinians were driven out of their homes. Pappe explains why there can be no peace until this crime has been acknowledged and redressed.' ― Scottish Review

'The organization of the material in this book leaves almost nothing to be desired. The twelve sections substantially challenge and considerably undermine the ostensibly convincing Israeli discourse on the refugees question and the 1984 events.' ― Arab Studies Quarterly

'Shocking, telling and illuminating.' ― Emel

'Groundbreaking research into a well-kept Israeli secret. A classic of historical scholarship on a taboo subject by one of Israel's foremost New Historians.' ― Ghada Karmi - Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, England, UK

About the Author

Ilan Pappe is an Israeli historian and socialist activist. He is a professor of history at the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, director of the university's European Centre for Palestine Studies, and co-director of the Exeter Centre for Ethno-Political Studies. He is also the author of the bestselling The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (Oneworld), A History of Modern Palestine (Cambridge), The Modern Middle East (Routledge), The Israel/Palestine Question (Routledge), The Forgotten Palestinians: A History of the Palestinians in Israel (Yale), The Idea of Israel: A History of Power and Knowledge (Verso) and with Noam Chomsky, Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians (Penguin). He writes for, among others, the Guardian and the London Review of Books.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1851685553
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oneworld Publications; Second edition (September 1, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781851685554
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1851685554
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 1.2 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,950 ratings

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Ilan Pappé

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
1,950 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book well-researched, thorough, and informative. They also describe it as well-written, easy to read, and prompt. Readers praise the historical accuracy as incisive, true, and compelling. Opinions are mixed on the emotional content, with some finding it sad yet enlightening, while others say it's emotionally numbing.

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Book contentReadabilityHistorical accuracyCouragePacingEmotional content
94 customers mention "Book content"87 positive7 negative

Customers find the book content well-researched, thorough, and informative. They say it's a stunning and relentless collection of evidence. Readers also describe the book as intellectually necessary and eye-opening.

"...The story that is being shut down. Illan's sources are very reliable and also noted in his book for any to research...." Read more

"...It is a fascinating, must-read book for anyone who wants to better understand how Israel came into existence on land inhabited by Palestinians and..." Read more

"...The most highly documented book I’ve ever read." Read more

"Thorough, concise and chilling book to help clear up the idea that somehow this “conflict” between Palestine and Israel is “too complicated.”..." Read more

39 customers mention "Readability"30 positive9 negative

Customers find the book well-written, easy to read, and understandable. They also say the writing style is clear and prompt.

"...The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine is well-researched, well-written and accessible to anyone wanting to better understand what brought us to the..." Read more

"Very informative, clear writing style, and with comprehensive citations." Read more

"...The writing style is clear and easily understood. A must read." Read more

"...The book is well written and reads as a novel, drawing one inexorably into the dark world of murder, theft, and mind bending ethical callousness..." Read more

30 customers mention "Historical accuracy"30 positive0 negative

Readers find the book unbiased, true, and compelling. They say it brings history alive with fine discussion of places. Readers also appreciate the author's great job of visualizing the historical accuracy of what happened in Palestine.

"Jewish author Illan Pappe did a great job of visualizing the historical accuracy of what happened in Palestine starting before 1948...." Read more

"This book is very dense, and I read it in small chunks. It's a detailed history of what happened to the Palestinians, the involvement or lack of..." Read more

"...Relevant and well researched" Read more

"This is an eye opening book by a great Israeli historian that highlights the plight of Palestinians. Its still relevant to today...." Read more

6 customers mention "Courage"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-documented and courageous. They also say it's brilliant.

"This was well researched and revealing. Great scholarship...." Read more

"...Factual, well documented, and courageous...." Read more

"Brilliant. A must read. Scholarship & courageous abound." Read more

"Exemplary courage demonstrating the ultimate value---objective reporting" Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoughtful, stunning, and packed with details. They say it illuminates in revelatory granular detail and gives great perspective on the background to the conflict in Palestine.

"...The book is packed with details and is a real eye-opener...." Read more

"...This book illuminates in revelatory granular detail, sourced from blue chip documents...." Read more

"Such a well done, thoughtful look at the Nakba, that DID happen in 1948. Another is happening right now!..." Read more

"...While the book is stylistically elegant, it's a difficult book to read emotionally, if you have any human feelings...." Read more

9 customers mention "Emotional content"3 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the emotional content of the book. Some mention it's extremely sad yet enlightening, while others say it leads to an emotional numbing.

"...Still, unfortunately, it leads to an emotional numbing and time spent here that could have been better spent on issues such as what happened in 1936..." Read more

"Great sad book that tells the truth" Read more

"...in a more wicked and subtle form: systematic daily abuses and untold misery inflicted on millions of Palestinians living under Israeli military..." Read more

"...While the book is stylistically elegant, it's a difficult book to read emotionally, if you have any human feelings...." Read more

Criminality of our ME policy.
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Brilliant. A must read. Scholarship & courageous abound.
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Top reviews from the United States

Darryl Everette
5.0 out of 5 stars Learning the truth about the Israel Palestine conflict.
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2024
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Jewish author Illan Pappe did a great job of visualizing the historical accuracy of what happened in Palestine starting before 1948. A story contrary to the narrative we have been taught. It is an atrocity. In light of what has been happening since October 7, I believe the accuracy of Illan Pappe's story even more. It's like visually seeing what happened back then. Israel is literally repeating what they did and have been doing over the past 80 years. It's horrific. One has to imagine, what if that happened here?

Comments are being made about what is happening in Palestine right now without knowing the full story or hearing any of the history from the other side. Like a court case, we need to hear the full story. The story that is being shut down. Illan's sources are very reliable and also noted in his book for any to research. David Ben Gurion's personal diary, recordings of the meetings with important Zionists military leaders, the IDF archives, Israeli archives, witnesses from both sides and more. I couldn't put the book down. Now I see the events happening before my eyes with a different lens. Many comments being made on social media covering these events are about events that took place back then and so are mentioned in this book. I know what they are talking about. All I can say is, "Be Informed."
18 people found this helpful
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P. Torres
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant. Eye opening
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
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This author knows what he is talking about. As the leading living authority in Israeli history, Mr Pape delivers a compelling revelation of the barbaric nature of modern day zionism, from inception to current times. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the truth about the founding of Israel in the 20th century and the deception of communist Zionism. Especially those taught and trained in the evangelical “dispensational” camp need this book to refute the lies they are being taught.
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T. L. Cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars We Can't Learn from History Unless We Know the Truth
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2024
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The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe came highly recommended by several sources. After I watched a few interviews with Pappe, I finally found the book available and immediately ordered it. It is a fascinating, must-read book for anyone who wants to better understand how Israel came into existence on land inhabited by Palestinians and known as Palestine. Pappe is an Israeli historian who used Israel's historical documents to expose the history that has been obfuscated and manipulated to manufacture a narrative more palatable to much of the world than the truth. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine explores the atrocities of the Nakba and the years leading up to the Nakba as well as the invention of Zionism. Pappe explores and explains attitudes, behaviors, and decisions made by those in charge using their own diaries and official records in a way that brings the people of the time and the moments they experienced to life. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine is well-researched, well-written and accessible to anyone wanting to better understand what brought us to the world as it currently stands because it demonstrates how the ethnic cleansing of Palestine has always reached far beyond Palestine.
39 people found this helpful
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Wilmer Gingerich
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2024
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Any honest historian would have to read this book. All Zionist readers (the very epitome of propagandized and dishonest people)will avoid reading this book. The most highly documented book I’ve ever read.
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LenZen
4.0 out of 5 stars What was Plan Dalet? What Happened at Deir Yassin?
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023
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What really happened during Israel's War of Independence? 

Ilan Pappé attempts to answer this question in "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine," which is, without a doubt, the most controversial book I have read in my life. In it, Pappé presents the controversial thesis that Palestine has been subject to a systematic ethnic cleansing policy pre-dating Israel's Independence Day on May 14, 1948. This policy, Pappé argues, continues up to the present day.

For this review, it is important to note, and Pappé clarifies right off the bat, that he is not using the phrase ethnic cleansing in the colloquial sense in which it is a synonym for genocide. Instead, Pappé refers to formal definitions in which ethnic cleansing's goal is to rid a geographical area of people of a specific, often ethnic, group. This contrasts with genocide, in which the goal is to wipe them out of existence. Pappé notes that although the goal of ethnic cleansing is different, it is also generally accompanied by massacres to scare the population into fleeing. Pappé argues this is precisely what happened in Israel/Palestine during the 1947-8 War. Indeed, in the epigraphs preceding most chapters, there is a running comparison to Serbian ethnic cleansing in the 1990s. 

A Cleansing Plan Pre-Dating the 1947 UN Partition Resolution?

Before the late 1980s, there was a notion in much of the West that the answer to the question of where all the Palestinian refugees came from was that they were told to flee their homes around the time Israel's Arab neighbors invaded on the very day of Israel's independence. Pappé is one of Israel's "new historians" who was granted some access to the IDF's archives from the 1947-8 War and began to challenge the notion that those fleeing generally did so voluntarily at the request of Arab leaders. Some more moderate historians, like Benny Morris, found evidence of massacres of Palestinians by Jewish force but did not feel there was a systematic plan behind them and the forced expulsions. Pappé, by contrast, disagrees. Pappé concluded that there was a systematic plan centering around Plan Dalet by considering other sources such as the diaries of key Israeli leaders, interviews, and other oral history.

According to Pappé's research, Zionist leaders, especially Ben-Gurion, had decided well before 1947 that they should try to capture much more of Mandatory Palestine than was likely to be offered. Pappé describes how the planning included detailed Jewish intelligence on every village following the 1936 uprising in preparation for this effort.  

The Zionists' main fear, Pappé writes, was having too small a majority in Israel to protect Jewish interests. This was because, at the time of the 1947 resolution, the Jewish state had about 60% Jews, while nearly all the rest were Arabs. Pappé quotes Ben-Gurion saying that 80% Jews was needed for stability. Pappé further argues that while Ben-Gurion publically accepted the UN partition plan, he only did so knowing Arabs would reject it. This, he realized, would allow Israeli leaders to not recognize Palestinian land as other than "disputed."

Pappé further recounts how Ben-Gurion felt it was a problem that Arabs did not react violently enough to the 1947 partition plan. Indeed, they just resigned themselves to living under another "foreign" ruler as they had adapted to others for centuries before. According to Pappé, Ben-Gurion and a cabal called "The Consultancy" worked to increase provocations against Arabs, hoping for reactions that could be used as pretexts for attacks, expulsions, and inevitable massacres. Pappé portrays this as not having the success hoped for initially, thus leading Israeli forces to become increasingly aggressive in their strategies and tactics, often deliberately crossing the line into war crimes. 

My Evaluation 

Evaluating this book is, unfortunately, rather difficult. The two main reasons are:

1. There is disagreement between Pappé and fellow new historian Benny Morris as to the proper historical methodology. Pappé criticizes Morris for confining his conclusions to IDF archives and treating them as gospel (or, perhaps, rather, Tanakh?) Morris, in turn, criticizes Pappé for over-reliance on oral history. Since Pappé, unfortunately, does not dive deeply into the methodological questions, it is hard for a non-professional to weigh the merits and detriments of the different approaches. 

2. Much of Pappé's source material is not readily available, at least to non-professionals. This is either because it is IDF archival material, books that no longer appear to be in print or interviews. 

Fortunately, there is much that Pappé and Morris, who draws more conservative conclusions, agree on. The main points are:

1. Many Palestinians only left their homes involuntarily in 1947-8; Israeli forces were definitely pushing many of them out

2. Jewish forces did commit war crimes

One thing Pappé and Morris disagree on significantly is the number of Palestinians massacred. Morris puts the figure around 800, whereas Pappé has it around a few thousand. Even more significant, however, is whether it was all part of a systematic plan or not. Pappé's quotes, especially from Ben-Gurion's diary, do seem compelling, however. With regard to the massacres, Pappé admits there is no smoking gun in official documents regarding a central directive. Instead, he argues that it was implicitly understood that they would be tolerated and necessary in the case of stubborn resistance. Pappé points out how those involved were generally careful not to leave a paper trail behind. 

Is a Systematic Plan Believable?

I do believe that Pappé makes a compelling case that there was a systematic plan. Pappé's discussion of how Palestinians were treated after the war adds to the believability of his argument. Much of this post-war treatment is more open to verification. Remaining Palestinians were moved from their homes; the property of those who had fled was confiscated through some extraordinary legal machinations; those of Arab descent did not receive equal treatment under Israeli law; Palestinian history was systematically erased.

However, even if things were not part of a Zionist grand strategy to permanently claim 80% of Mandatory Palestine, it is remarkable that they worked out, in practice, as if that were the plan all along. Sympathizers of Israel will argue that Israel simply wanted to live in peace, but their Arab neighbors kept attacking them unprovoked for no good reason. After reading this book, however, especially the parts most open to verification, and considering Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and denial of their right to return (or, if no longer practical, monetary compensation in lieu of it), the credibility of Israeli claims regarding history fell into even greater doubt for me.

The Book's Style and Weaknesses

A little over two-thirds of the book is highly engaging reading. Nevertheless, the book took me about twice as long to read as expected. Part of the reason this is a difficult book to read is that it is a very somber subject. Nor is it so far removed from the present as to provide the usual degree of detachment that studying more distant history allows. That contribution to making the book difficult is inevitable, given the subject.

However, some of Pappé's choices made the book difficult and were not inevitable. For instance:

- The Jews seemed very concerned about Arab aggression, given what happened in 1936. Pappé does not detail 1936 enough to understand why they were worried. 

- Too many massacres are detailed even once one gets the gist of what happened overall. Likely, Pappé is trying to ensure that the victims are not forgotten. Still, unfortunately, it leads to an emotional numbing and time spent here that could have been better spent on issues such as what happened in 1936 and discussing the debate over methodology.

Finally, Pappé is clearly biased. For instance, he correctly states that Palestinians objected to Israel being given the majority of the land in the 1947 resolution, even though they were only one-third of the population. What Pappé omits is the Jewish position that they needed more land because of the large number of immigrants into Israel expected. Pappé also, although he does not omit it altogether, spends scant time discussing massacres by Arabs, for example, as retaliation for Deir Yassin.

Conclusion 

Given the current war in Gaza, this book is vital reading to understand how we got to this point and what may lie ahead. Readers will be better able to evaluate whether the accusations of ethnic cleansing, genocide, and apartheid leveled against Israel are fair. At the same time, however, it is essential to check what sources Pappé uses, compare with others, and look up contrary interpretations of history, such as Benny Morris's.
93 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Speedy delivery of depressing history.
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2024
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This book was a depressing history book written by an aclaimed Israeli historian.
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Durdahawk
5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2024
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Thorough, concise and chilling book to help clear up the idea that somehow this “conflict” between Palestine and Israel is “too complicated.” It isn’t - not in the slightest. When you think of the clapback, “read a book, buddy,” it’s this one. This is the book to read to become aware.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Livio Ribeiro
5.0 out of 5 stars Leitura imprescindível para entender a opressão aos palestinos
Reviewed in Brazil on August 4, 2024
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Ilan Pappé escreve em muitos detalhes os eventos antes, durante, e após a execução do plano de Ben Gurion para limpeza étnica da Palestina. É descrito não apenas a expulsão do povo palestino de suas terras, mas também o minucioso planejamento que antecedeu o evento e os grandes esforços para tentar esconder os crimes cometidos e apagar a memória dos palestinos.
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Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars The suffering of Palestinian people and Israeli Zionism
Reviewed in Mexico on July 16, 2024
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One of the best texts to understand the suffering of Palestinian people, and why Israeli Zionism makes an agreement between Palestine and Israel impossible.
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Cliente de Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars The suffering of Palestinian people and Israeli Zionism
Reviewed in Mexico on July 16, 2024
One of the best texts to understand the suffering of Palestinian people, and why Israeli Zionism makes an agreement between Palestine and Israel impossible.
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Daniel Labyad
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent work
Reviewed in Canada on April 25, 2024
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A must read for those who dont know the full story and only have heard the controlled mass media spin
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hmmmm
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read.
Reviewed in India on August 3, 2024
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This book is highly recommended for readers who seek a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Brian Lait
5.0 out of 5 stars Palestinians would be right to be highly cynical of Israelis
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2024
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I have long suspected that Israel is not as "right" as has been made out, not only by Israelis but also by their supporters. Ilan Pappe's book has spelled out what really happened, and to this day continues to happen to the Palestinians by the Israelis.

That Palestine should have their own territory is, in my opinion, nothing short of correct. Quite how this can now be achieved is another matter altogether, given the massive upheavels that have occurred within what used to be known as Palestine.

For a religion that, if Hitler had had his way, was to be wiped from the face of the earth I regard the treatment of the Palestinians by the Jews in the "creation" of the Israeli state to be nothing short of repugnant. Israel was created by the rape, torture, murder and expulsion of millions of Palestinians in land that had belonged to them for centuries.

The whole was not helped by the indifference of my fellow countrymen (I am British) and the fledgling UN, but as the author says "The problem with Israel was never its Jewishness - Judaism has many faces and many of them provide a solid basis for peace and cohabitation; it is its ethnic Zionist character".

We Brits did not help matters by, as far back as Balfour, stating that the Jews should have their own state, but today with the likes of Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir there is limited hope that the Palestinians will get suitably "compensated" for all that has happened to them. Force can be successfully applied to Israel, providing it is applied and followed through by the likes of the USA.

I suspect that many (most ??) of today's Israeli youth truly believes that Israel was carved out of a wilderness, and that they have no idea of what was done to the Palestinians by the likes of Ben Gurion. Getting the truth to the average Israeli might be a good place to start.

With the passing of so much time I could see a "solution" with a large chunk of what is now Israel being handed back to the Palestinians for them to form their own state. That must include a large coastal section with excellent port facilities, etc. Maybe a vastly expanded Gaza, for example.

Regardless, thank you Mr. Pappe for a very instructive and educational read. As an Israeli national you are a very bold and rare breed of man to pen such a critical book of your own nation.
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