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Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel Hardcover – October 1, 2013

by Max Blumenthal (Author)

4.7 599 ratings

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2014 Lannan Foundation Cultural Freedom Notable Book Award

In Goliath, New York Times bestselling author Max Blumenthal takes us on a journey through the badlands and high roads of Israel-Palestine, painting a startling portrait of Israeli society under the siege of increasingly authoritarian politics as the occupation of the Palestinians deepens.

Beginning with the national elections carried out during Israel's war on Gaza in 2008-09, which brought into power the country's most right-wing government to date, Blumenthal tells the story of Israel in the wake of the collapse of the Oslo peace process.

As Blumenthal reveals, Israel has become a country where right-wing leaders like Avigdor Lieberman and Bibi Netanyahu are sacrificing democracy on the altar of their power politics; where the loyal opposition largely and passively stands aside and watches the organized assault on civil liberties; where state-funded Orthodox rabbis publish books that provide instructions on how and when to kill Gentiles; where half of Jewish youth declare their refusal to sit in a classroom with an Arab; and where mob violence targets Palestinians and African asylum seekers scapegoated by leading government officials as "demographic threats."

Immersing himself like few other journalists inside the world of hardline political leaders and movements, Blumenthal interviews the demagogues and divas in their homes, in the Knesset, and in the watering holes where their young acolytes hang out, and speaks with those political leaders behind the organized assault on civil liberties. As his journey deepens, he painstakingly reports on the occupied Palestinians challenging schemes of demographic separation through unarmed protest. He talks at length to the leaders and youth of Palestinian society inside Israel now targeted by security service dragnets and legislation suppressing their speech, and provides in-depth reporting on the small band of Jewish Israeli dissidents who have shaken off a conformist mindset that permeates the media, schools, and the military.

Through his far-ranging travels, Blumenthal illuminates the present by uncovering the ghosts of the pastthe histories of Palestinian neighborhoods and villages now gone and forgotten; how that history has set the stage for the current crisis of Israeli society; and how the Holocaust has been turned into justification for occupation.

A brave and unflinching account of the real facts on the ground, Goliath is an unprecedented and compelling work of journalism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Armed with a critic's eye and a sharp pen, Blumenthal sets out to document what he regards as the fulfillment of Yeshayahu Leibowitz's darkest prophecy regarding the Israeli occupation. Exposure to the impressions from his journey through the Land of Israel-Palestine might be outrageous, unsettling, often heart wrenching. But those who fear for the image of this land would be well advised to respond to the challenge and to deal with his flowing descriptions of the struggles he witnessed and of the brave souls he met in one of the most divided and conflict-ridden places in the world."
Akiva Eldar

Goliath lifts the carefully maintained veil concealing the reality of Israel as it actually is today, a reality that is elided in most reportage from the region Blumenthal's book is packed with remarkable vignettes illustrating the dangerous path Israel is currently following.”
Rashid Khalidi

"It is about time someone wrote this book. Anyone who thinks he knows what is happening in Israel and its occupied territories will think again after reading this great work."
Charles Glass

"[Blumenthal is] genuinely interested in the truth, and knows that the truth in politics often lurks in those dark caves of viciousness... [Goliath is] the kind of book that you just open to any chapter and quickly get a sense of both the particular and the whole. You'll find yourself instantly immersed in an engrossing family romance-one part tender, one part train-wreck-and wish you had the entire day to keep reading. Put it down, and pick it up the next day, and you'll have the exact same feeling."
Corey Robin, associate professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center

"A rich, roiling examination of 'the State of Israel during a period of deepening political and societal crisis' ... Blumenthal is an enterprising reporter."
Kirkus Reviews

Brash, gritty, personal and close to the ground, this is a report from an Israel and a Palestine we seldom see in the mainstream media. The sharp-edged scenes and portraits in this disturbing book shows why the chances for lasting peace in the region have gone from bad to worse.”
Adam Hochschild

"I would like to send a copy [of Goliath] to every Jew I know...This is the sort of book that even if you want to diss it, you can't dismiss it."
Charles H. Manekin, Professor of Philosophy, Director of the Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Center of Jewish Studies at the University of Maryland

"Blumenthal's new book offers an unflinching look at the racist reality of Israel that America's establishment media simply does not have the guts to confront."
Ali Abunimah, Electronic Intifada

"Brave reporting of a sad, even tragic tale. Makes me wish he wrote for the New York Times."
Stephen Walt, Professor of International Affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government

"Erudite, hard-hitting, [Goliath has] the potential to influence American public opinion on Israel..."
Rayyan Al-Shawaf, Mondoweiss

About the Author

Max Blumenthal is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author whose articles and video documentaries have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Daily Beast, The Nation, The Guardian, The Independent Film Channel, The Huffington Post, Salon.com, Al Jazeera English and many other publications. His book, Republican Gomorrah: Inside The Movement That Shattered The Party, was a New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller. He blogs at maxblumenthal.com

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nation Books; 1st edition (October 1, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1568586345
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1568586342
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.55 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,162,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,498 in Violence in Society (Books)
- #1,598 in Middle Eastern Politics
- #1,599 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)

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4.7 599 ratings

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Customers find the book provides a thorough and insightful analysis of modern Israel. They describe it as compelling, easy to read, and beneficial to the reader. The writing style is described as well-written and easy to understand. Readers praise the author as courageous and brave. The book is divided into short, succinct chapters with extensive documentation. Opinions are mixed on the thought-provoking aspect, with some finding it honest and compelling while others consider it disturbing and depressing.

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Information quality Readability Writing style Author Length Thought provoking Israeli history

90 customers mention "Information quality"85 positive5 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They say it provides a better understanding of the facts and details about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The book is thorough and honest, with meticulously documented sources and eyewitness accounts. Readers consider it an insightful and important book about Israelis, Palestinians, and Africans.

"Excellent investigative journalism. A must read, if you want to learn the truth about the Israel/Palestine conflict. Everyone should read this book." Read more

"...against -- this is an important book to read and an important set of realities to understand." Read more

"...this nearly inevitable day, this book is an excellent place to begin your education." Read more

"...This is a very revealing book, but I had to be a careful reader and stay awake to work my way through the author's very leftist views of everything..." Read more

81 customers mention "Readability"69 positive12 negative

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They say it's an eye-opening account of the Israeli government and people. The book is described as a valuable contribution that may help educate more Americans about Israel.

"Excellent investigative journalism. A must read, if you want to learn the truth about the Israel/Palestine conflict. Everyone should read this book." Read more

"...to mention what the Palestinians are up against -- this is an important book to read and an important set of realities to understand." Read more

"...This book and Michael Hoffman's stellar work, "Judaism's Strange Gods" are bookends to clear the fog of obsfucation that is pandemic in..." Read more

"This book is excellent...." Read more

36 customers mention "Writing style"33 positive3 negative

Customers find the book well-written and easy to read. They appreciate the author's control of language and avoid making judgments in tone. The book is a must-read document that provides clear views on the brutality of propaganda.

"...This book is expertly written and difficult to put down...." Read more

"...hand, Blumenthal's book, this is a series of fairly short - and very well written - essays about his real life experiences in Israel beginning in..." Read more

"...The author has done the hard work necessary to be able to write a meaningful book...." Read more

"...who isn't going to fall for anyone's propaganda –which is what good journalism, like this, is supposed to be all about...." Read more

15 customers mention "Author"15 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author as courageous and honest. They find the book an excellent eye-opener and a masterpiece.

"...There are good people and great activists in Israel doing terrific and genuine work toward peace...." Read more

"This book which I highly recommend, is certainly an eye opener...." Read more

"...with Blumenthal prior to this book knows that he's an honest, open-eyed reporter who isn't going to fall for anyone's propaganda –which is what good..." Read more

"...Max is an intrepid reporter that reveals the a thin and hollow democratic veneer in the Jewish State." Read more

10 customers mention "Length"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book has short, succinct chapters that provide a snapshot of Israeli life. They appreciate the well-researched and detailed content, including extensive endnotes providing primary sources. The book is described as honest, detailed, and part personal narrative.

"...get to the point at hand, Blumenthal's book, this is a series of fairly short - and very well written - essays about his real life experiences in..." Read more

"...It is that comprehensive and detailed, made possible by the fact that the author is Jewish and could easily gain entry to places such as the..." Read more

"...It's also a good read for an iPad or iPhone because the chapters are short...." Read more

"...It's made up of short succinct chapters, each of which is a snapshot of Israeli society and politics, interwoven with deeply personal and human..." Read more

26 customers mention "Thought provoking"18 positive8 negative

Customers find the book compelling and engrossing. It provides an analysis of the current state of Israel. However, some readers feel the information is disturbing and depressing. The book raises questions about the future of the country and its society.

"There are two books that have been truly earth shaking revelations about the whole issue of Israel and the Talmudic philosophy that Netanyahu has..." Read more

"...Israeli society and politics, interwoven with deeply personal and human stories, historical background, and on the ground investigative journalism...." Read more

"...-- not because it is fair or even good, but because it is terribly thought-provoking even (especially?) where it goes off the rails." Read more

"Max Blumenthal’s “Goliath” is a detailed ethnography of Israeli racism against Palestinians and it documents attitudes that are typically hidden..." Read more

16 customers mention "Israeli history"8 positive8 negative

Customers have varying views on the book's account of Israeli history. Some find it an amazing and important account of Zionism, a must-read for the truth about Palestinian oppression, and a lucid critique of Israeli human rights abuses. Others consider it a brutal reminder of the uncivilized origins of Judaism, a polemic against Israel, and a hard read.

"...the belly of Israeli society and thoroughly documents the racism, fanaticism, religious fundamentalism, greed, violence, and hysteria that animates..." Read more

"...It is a brutal reminder of the uncivilized origins of Judaism and not only through the state of Israel, but in its influence around the world as..." Read more

"...This book is a must read document and witness to the brutality of the Israeli regime and the urgent need for a boycotts, divestment, and sanctions..." Read more

"...underrepresented in the knesset, they are subject to mistreatment by the Israeli government, and IDF or Jewish citizens are seldom punished...." Read more

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Azarias
Excellent Book
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2024
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Excellent investigative journalism. A must read, if you want to learn the truth about the Israel/Palestine conflict. Everyone should read this book.

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Pnhale
Congratulations to the Author of this IMPORTANT , well written and researched book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2014
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This is a hard book to put down, but I found I needed to come up for a breath of fresh! clean air a few times. And I started it with a distinctly pro-Israeli worldview.

I cannot believe this book describes the country my Jewish then to be husband and I visited in 1997 or early 1998. I vividly recall the hours at the airport talking to a series of interrogators about why we're there. NOTE: My husband was 62, a professor of medicine invited to give a talk in Haifa! and I was 48, dressed like the lawyer I was, yet security questions went on in excess of 1.5 hours. SAME thing on our return home, ( and why did it matter then)????

Yet my frustration was nothing compared to the experiences of Palestinians who wait at checkpoints at least twice a day to go thru checkpoints to farm their fields and tend orchards. A small point in this sprawling, fascinating book, but one that impatient Americans can relate to.

We were not there in a peaceful time. within an hour of my arrival in Tel Aviv, as I stepped toward the beach outside the Hilton Hotel, a truck full of of soldiers with M-16s(.????)--- assault rifles-- poured out of a truck and ran down the broad sidewalk. Something similar happened each day we were there.

I read a great deal to prepare for that trip, including both Tom Segev's books ( as well as biography of T. Hertzl, Zionism, history of the Balfour Agreement WWI in the Middle East. In general, WWII, the Holocaust , essentially the history of the European Wars in the 20th Century and their consequences, and on and on. I write this not to impress, but to establish my credentials for reviewing this book.

As I said, every good thing has been said by other reviewers, but one thing that especially struck me was the government's (and society's) persecution of it's own Jewish citizens for any degree of dissent from what have become the state's present ethno-fascist policies. Senator Joseph McCarthy and president Nixon's deep suspicions of his own people, with the accompanying wiretaps, bullying, surveillance, etc., seem almost moderate when compared with 6 hour interrogations of dissidents, and seizure of their computers, at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.And these are liberal leftists, not anarchists or terrorists-- the sort of people my husband and I are.

Economic blacklisting, removal of prominent professors, scholars and intellectuals from positions in which they could teach young Israelis to think for themselves, the demotion of Mr Segev's from his once HIGHLY regarded status as journalist and historian, the enforce of "groupthink" by lower class and Russian thugs---- as a good liberal pro-Israel (with some misgivings about Palestinian repression) American I am SHOCKED by the Israel described by this book, and grateful that Mr. Blumenthal wrote it. Now I know! and what I learned is unforgettable.

Americans spent serious dollars supporting Israel, and should know what they are REALLY supporting, as opposed to the Israeli image created by their enormous public relations machinery.

A MUST READ indeed.

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Pamela Olson
The awful truth
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2013
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I've been following Israeli news and politics and visiting the region for ten years, so there was little in this book that was fundamentally new to me. But for anyone who didn't have time to keep up with the evolution of Israeli culture and politics over the last several years, this book is an excellent (and grimly entertaining) way to catch up.

An increasingly proudly racist segment of Israeli society has become mainstreamed and acceptable, saying things about Palestinians (or rather 'Arabs,' since they won't deign to use the word 'Palestinian') that would make any Jim Crow partisan cringe with shame, kicking Bedouin off of land they have lived on for generations and into ghettos/reservations simply because they are not Jewish, forming vigilante groups to keep Jewish women from dating Arab men, and marching provocatively through Muslim neighborhoods in shows of force, contempt, and intimidation.

And this is in Israel proper. In the Palestinian territories, the situation is even more dire. From "price tag" operations to rabbis who advocate the killing of non-Jewish children, it's a parallel universe, a parade of horrors of blind hatred and violence likened in many cases to "pogroms" even in the Israeli press.

When the vast majority of the Jewish Israeli public supported the grisly, pointless slaughter of Operation Cast Lead, it was truly a new low. The US government supports the Israeli government and its policies to the tune of $8 million every day, yet the American press tells us virtually nothing about these trends.

There are good people and great activists in Israel doing terrific and genuine work toward peace. But to understand what they are really up against -- not to mention what the Palestinians are up against -- this is an important book to read and an important set of realities to understand.

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Amazon Customer
Excellent work. Very educational.
Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great book! As someone who grew up in Israel, I can confirm that the general attitudes of the Israeli public described in this book are right on point. The book illustrates Israel's policies towards Palestine and the role that Zionism plays in shaping policy. Highly recommended to anyone trying to understand what led recent events in Israel.

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Alastair Rosie
Tears Down The Veil Of Secrecy On Israeli Politics And Society.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2016
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This is one of the most heartbreaking yet necessary books to read if one is to understand the seemingly inexplicable explosion of violence in the Middle East. Max Blumenthal writes with great passion and extraordinary attention to detail. His unmasking of the chief war criminals will antagonise and enrage pro Israel supporters, but tyranny and injustice fears the truth and seeks to avoid it.
The book is surprisingly short however with much room given to notes and bibliography. Written in a series of essays and covering the major intifadas, it is post Oslo agreement and exposes the naked hypocrisy of several Israeli governments. He also sheds light on the right wing extremist groups in the Occupied Territories and in Israel proper. He writes about the mainstream figures in Israeli politics as well, exposing their shallowness and short sightedness, along with their inherent racism. He has travelled to Israel many times and has witnessed the ongoing human tragedy first hand. As an American Jew he is also a dual citizen and he outlines his rights as a citizen compared to an Israeli Arab citizen or a Palestinian in the Occupied Territories.
Blumenthal pulls no punches and reminds me of a quote by Israeli journalist Amira Hass, who also criticises the Israeli government's Occupation and Settlements policies. She says that the sacred task of journalists is to 'hold the centres of power to account.' It has cost her dearly in Israel and like Blumenthal she is largely marginalised by the mainstream press. Like Hass, he takes the view that the Occupation is essentially immoral and ultimately destructive to Israeli national character and moral fibre. It brutalises the oppressor and the oppressed and until the settlements are withdrawn and Palestine becomes a state of its own, or in the case of a one state solution with equal rights for all and one nation for two peoples, Israel will become like the albatross, flying in ever decreasing circles until it swallows itself up.
After reading the book I was depressed and angered by the things he's seen but it's necessary to read it if you want to unshackle yourself from the mythology of Israeli superiority and the mainstream view and walk a mile in another's shoes. As has been said before, the truth will set you free but first it will enrage you.
On closing, the book was published before the 51 day war on Gaza so there's nothing of that massacre in this book but he has written another book exclusively on that massacre. An extremely well written if depressing book.

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Oliver Völckers
Israel, was ist aus dir geworden?
Reviewed in Germany on December 19, 2014
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"These are the stories of people living under a regime of separation, grappling with the consequences of ethnic division in a land with no defined borders“ (Max Blumenthal)

Der US-amerikanische Historiker, Journalist und Bestsellerautor Max Blumenthal hat sich insbesondere mit der Politik der Republikanischen Partei und Israels auseinandergesetzt. Sein Vater Sidney Blumenthal war Assistent von US-Präsident Clinton, von daher ist der Sohn gut vernetzt in der politischen Elite der USA und auch Israels, aber ebenso in der alternativen Szene.

In Deutschland wurde Max Blumenthal durch das sogenannte Toilettengate bekannt, als er im Deutschen Bundestag zusammen mit dem Israeli David Sheen den Linken-Politiker Gregor Gysi bedrängte, um Antworten auf tatsächliche oder vermeintliche Diffamierungen zu bekommen. In der deutschen Presse wurde Blumenthal dann u.a. als „irrer Israel-Hasser“ beschimpft, was ihm überhaupt nicht gerecht wird.

Dieses Buch beschreibt die Politik und Geschichte Israels sowohl aus der Sicht der Zionisten als auch der vertriebenen Palästinenser und der nichtjüdischen Israelis. Blumenthal hat viel Zeit in Israel und Palästina verbracht und unterschiedlichste Menschen interviewt. An diesem Buch hat er vier Jahre gearbeitet. Als jüdischer US-Amerikaner, der Hebräisch und Arabisch versteht, hatte er dabei persönlichen Zugang zu erzkonservativen, kriegerischen Politikern und als linker Aktivist auch zu arabisch-israelischen Demonstranten und Bürgerrechtlern.

Das Buch ist in zehn Teile und insgesamt 73 Kapitel gegliedert, zum Teil chronologisch geordnet, zum Teil nach Themen. Die Gliederung habe ich nicht verstanden. Mal schildert Blumenthal historische Gegebenheiten, mal wechselt er zu persönlichen Berichten. Jedes Kapitel ist aber für sich schlüssig und überzeugend und lebendig erzählt. Blumenthal beschreibt u.a.
- die Bombardierung der Gaza-Polizei durch Israel nach dem Wahlsieg der Hamas 2008
- den Aufstieg des früheren Türstehers Avigdor Lieberman zum Minister mithilfe russischer Geldquellen
- die Vertreibung der Palästinenser angeführt durch Ben Gurion 1948
- den Boykott arabischer Händler, deren Gemüse mit Kerosin überschüttet wurde, ihre Eier zerschmettert
- die Zerstörung der Häuser der Vertriebenen, die Enteignung ihrer Orangenplantagen und Olivenbäume
- seit 1967 wurden über 26.000 palästinensische Wohnungen abgerissen
- Kinder der nichtjüdischen Bevölkerung werden nachts aus dem Bett geholt und verhaftet
- dagegen wird seit Jahrzehnten in israelischen Schulen diese Vertreibung verschwiegen, sodass Erwachsene wenig darüber wissen
- stattdessen wird der Widerstand gegen die Besatzung nur mit „Antisemitismus“ verklärt
- wer dagegen demonstriert, wird von der Polizei überwacht.
- Protestierenden Israelis drohen Verhaftungen und Misshandlungen, Nicht-Israelis droht Schusswaffengebrauch
- die Zionisten fühlen sich von allen bedroht, die ihrem jüdischen Nationalismus im Weg stehen, also nicht nur Muslime, sondern auch Christen oder afrikanische Flüchtlinge
- einige Rabbis warnen jüdische Frauen öffentlich davor, sich mit „Kamelreitern“ einzulassen
- ein Prof. Dan Schueftan vertritt das Konzept der hafrada, einer Art Apartheid, deren politische Umsetzung u.a. den Mauerbau beinhaltet

Blumenthal belegt alles mit umfangreichen Fußnoten. Soweit ich sehen kann, sind die von ihm berichteten Fakten auch nicht umstritten. Allerdings sind einige Kapitel-Überschriften bewusst provozierend gewählt: „The Silence of the Lambs“, „How to kill Goyim and influence people“, „The Concentration Camp", und Zitate wie „Judeo-Nazis“.

Dies hat in Deutschland zu dem Vorwurf geführt, Blumenthal vergleiche Israel mit Nazideutschland. Dabei ist der Autor weit von solchen unangemessenen Beschimpfungen entfernt, auch wenn er empört ist über die Verbrechen und Ungerechtigkeiten der Besatzung. In Israel ist das Trauma des Holocaust bzw. der Shoa allgegenwärtig, daher kommen solche Vergleiche in einer aufgeheizten politischen Auseinandersetzung durchaus vor. Blumenthal hat sich das nicht zu eigen gemacht, aber er zitiert es wiederholt. Diese Feinheiten fallen in einer verkürzten Darstellung etwa in der Zeitung mit den großen Buchstaben gerne unter den Tisch.

Das Buch ist unbedingt lesenswert für alle die diesen Konflikt verstehen wollen. Es beschreibt den Hintergrund und die aktuelle Situation Israels aus erster Hand und von allen Seiten. Eine Übersetzung ins Deutsche wäre wünschenswert.

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Christiane Moloney
the banality of evil
Reviewed in Australia on May 26, 2014
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This is a truly devastating book that has shattered the myths I held dear about Israel. It should be compulsory reading for every Israeli citizen, American taxpayer and all who aspire for peace with justice in the Middle East. Would that such a book had been written about Germany in the 1930's. How supremely ironic that the 'people of the book' should so slavishly ignore the golden rule: "do unto others ..."
I have always wondered how such a sophisticated and cultured society as Germany could slide into fascism and was enlightened by Hannah Arendt's coverage of the Eichman trial and her observation about 'the banality of evil'. Max Blumenthal has written chapter and verse about our collective 'dark side'. We are all capable of such evil and he and Adendt exhort us to think more expansively about the bureaucracy and practices of our various nation states. My own country, Australia, has recently elected a bunch of 'tea party' conservatives to govern our nation who are now taking a wrecking ball to our formerly egalitarian society.
I read the ebook version of 'Goliath' and still held doubts as to whether there were some other explanations for the behaviours described in it until I finished the text and toggled through the extensive notes attached at the book's conclusion. The evidence is overwhelming.
The book leaves unanswered what those of us who support peace can actually do or is BDS the only answer?
Michael Johnston

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Lauramath
Insightful and interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2024
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Look into the strange world of Israel's occupation of Palestine. Reading this with the benefit of hindsight is illuminating.

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Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel Hardcover – October 1, 2013

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