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A review by kojali
What Does Israel Fear From Palestine? by Raja Shehadeh
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
5.0
"This is why, without the fear of a common external enemy, the likelihood is that the collapse of the state will come not just from outside pressure but also from inside." (50)
This is one of those books that will be studied by future historians and political scientists in order to make sense of our era - at least I hope. Though just over one hundred pages, Shehadeh's book is incredibly poignant and sharp. It's divided into two parts: Part 1 describes why the peace efforts of the 1990s failed, and how the Israeli apartheid regime resembles and differs from that of South Africa in the latter twentieth century; Part 2 covers the current genocide and war in Gaza up till about February of 2024, and questions the lack of support for the Palestinian people from the western international community, with an emphasis on the United States.
I would recommend this to anybody who has a basic knowledge of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, but still has outstanding questions about how exactly peace efforts unfolded, and failed, in the 1990s and early 2000s with the election of Hamas in Gaza. If you're looking for more of a personal, Palestinian story, I would instead recommend Shehadeh's book 'Going Home.' While there's a few anecdotes in this book, it primarily describes the collective and political Palestinian struggle, rather than that of the individual. This entire book is grounded in an expert knowledge of international relations and power struggle.
Shehadeh's call to action at the end of this book is incredibly powerful. If I had the chance to give our most powerful leaders a book, this is what I would give them. While reading this, I felt like I was making notes on every other page. It's one of those books that will make you think, reconsider, and want to learn more.
This is one of those books that will be studied by future historians and political scientists in order to make sense of our era - at least I hope. Though just over one hundred pages, Shehadeh's book is incredibly poignant and sharp. It's divided into two parts: Part 1 describes why the peace efforts of the 1990s failed, and how the Israeli apartheid regime resembles and differs from that of South Africa in the latter twentieth century; Part 2 covers the current genocide and war in Gaza up till about February of 2024, and questions the lack of support for the Palestinian people from the western international community, with an emphasis on the United States.
I would recommend this to anybody who has a basic knowledge of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, but still has outstanding questions about how exactly peace efforts unfolded, and failed, in the 1990s and early 2000s with the election of Hamas in Gaza. If you're looking for more of a personal, Palestinian story, I would instead recommend Shehadeh's book 'Going Home.' While there's a few anecdotes in this book, it primarily describes the collective and political Palestinian struggle, rather than that of the individual. This entire book is grounded in an expert knowledge of international relations and power struggle.
Shehadeh's call to action at the end of this book is incredibly powerful. If I had the chance to give our most powerful leaders a book, this is what I would give them. While reading this, I felt like I was making notes on every other page. It's one of those books that will make you think, reconsider, and want to learn more.