Bar-On, Dan, Naveh, Eyal, Peace Research Institute in the Middle East: 9781595586834: Amazon.com: Books
https://archive.org/details/sidebysideparall0000unse
Side by Side: Parallel Histories of Israel-Palestine Paperback 2012
by Sami Adwan (Editor), Dan Bar-On (Editor), & 2 more
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
A groundbreaking “dual narrative” history of Israel and Palestine which offers a new paradigm for the teaching of history in conflict and post-conflict situations
“The battle lines of the Israel-Palestinian conflict extend to the classroom, where the two sides’ versions of their shared history diverge sharply. Now, two university professors aim to change the way the conflict is taught by exposing Palestinian students to Israeli history lessons and Israeli students to the Palestinian version of history.” —USA Today
More than twenty years ago, in the midst of widespread violence in Israel and Palestine, a group of Israeli and Palestinian teachers gathered to address what, to many people, seemed an unbridgeable gulf between the two societies. Struck by how different the standard Israeli and Palestinian textbook histories of the same events were from one another—whether of the Balfour Declaration or the 1967 War—they began to explore how a new understanding of history itself might open up different kinds of dialogue in an increasingly hostile climate. Their express goal was to “disarm” the teaching of Middle East history in Israeli and Palestinian classrooms.
The result is a riveting and unprecedented “dual narrative” of Israeli and Palestinian history. Side by Side comprises the history of two peoples, in separate narratives set literally side by side, so that readers can track each against the other, noting both where they differ as well as where they correspond. This unique and fascinating format, translated into English from Arabic and Hebrew, reveals surprising juxtapositions and allows readers to consider and process the very different viewpoints and logic of each side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
An eye-opening—and inspiring—new approach to thinking about one of the world’s most deeply entrenched conflicts, Side by Side is a now classic book that offers to its readers a way to discuss and perhaps help find a bridge to peace in the Middle East.Read less
Review
"Innovative... A small but important step, if not toward peace, then perhaps toward understanding... Developed by a group of Israeli and Palestinian teachers, this text will prove useful not just to the young, but to anyone who quails at the thought of even attempting to unravel the knotty history of the Middle East."
―Kirkus Reviews
"The battle lines of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict extend to the classroom, where the two sides' versions of their shared history diverge sharply. Now, two university professors aim to change the way the conflict is taught by exposing Palestinian students to Israeli history lessons and Israeli students to the Palestinian version of history.
―USA Today
About the Author
Peace Research Institute in the Middle East (PRIME) is a nongovernmental organization established by Palestinian and Israeli researchers with the help of the Peace Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany. A co-founder with the late Dan Bar-On of PRIME and its current co-director, Sami Adwan has published widely on the role of education in peacebuilding. PRIME co-director Eyal Naveh is a professor of U.S. history at Tel Aviv University and teaches history and history education at the Kibbutzim College of Education.
Product details
Publisher : The New Press (March 6, 2012)
Language : English
Paperback : 416 pages
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
Talia Ringer
5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changingReviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
Verified Purchase
Life-changing book that marked the start of my journey understanding the differences between the Israeli narrative I grew up on and the Palestinian one, and helping me learn where to fill in the gaps of the story I was told. Eventually, this understanding helped me form friendships with Palestinians, and work towards a better shared future in the land together.
2 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Edmund Whalen
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative.Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
Bought this book as required reading for a "Modern Israel" course i took in undergrad. A great collection of arguments that gives the reader a good breadth of knowledge on the subject. I think more political discussions should be discussed in this manner, to give context to the way history truly unfolds in its many perspectives.
One person found this helpful
HelpfulReport
K. Thurm
4.0 out of 5 stars A Concept Bordering On GeniusReviewed in the United States on January 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
I love the way this book is constructed. The side by side narratives from both the Palestinians and the Jews is a brilliant concept.
For me, the histories given are sometimes a bit shallow. There are errors of fact from both sides, but I guess that's to be expected. I do think this book is worth reading. I believe that few people are well versed in the history of this land and this book will definitely help with understanding some of the issues surrounding the conflict.
For a significantly better history book, I would read "Righteous Victims" by Morris, but this book is a long and complicated read. Most people won't won't have the patience to sift through all 800 pages of this difficult history. "Side by Side" is a reasonable but far less in depth history book.
I would love to see both Jewish and Palestine high school students using "Side by Side" as their text for the study of the conflict, but I doubt most teachers and schools would endorse such a program. Unfortunately, part of the problem with both Palestinians and Jews is their need to indoctrinate their youth with only their narrative. I once heard a Jewish Israeli "scholar" say that he didn't want Jewish kids going to the Hand In Hand School in Israel. This is a wonderful school that educates kids from kindergarten through 12th grade and has both Jewish and Arab teachers teaching the narrative of both sides. This "scholar" said that he might be okay with sending high school students there, but he certainly didn't want younger students participating in such a program. My interpretation: Let us indoctrinate our kids first, and then maybe we'll let them hear the other viewpoint. Oy vey.
9 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Cassie
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful ReadReviewed in the United States on January 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
I had to order this book for on honor's seminar on the Palestinian conflict.
At first I was overwhelmed by the stories - a different side of the conflict is told on either side of the book. The left hand is the view point of Israeli, while the right hand is the view point of Palestinians. At first it is slow but the book picks up and if you are very knowledgeable or new to the conflict (as I was) you will like the book as long as you take the time to read it, and are interested in political/social/cultural affair. This book is not meant to be a text book. This book is not meant to be give one simple facts or to make one side look better or worse than the other. This book is meant to show the reader how the conflict may be analyzed by Israeli and Palestinian citizens - side by side. It is meant to give the reader an understanding of how this struggle came to be and how it has evolved over the years and the reason for the strife that exist between the two ethnic groups today.
11 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Lisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Academically solid, easy to readReviewed in the United States on July 31, 2017
Verified Purchase
Very interesting perspective on the conflict presented in an innovative format. This book was for a class and it was my favorite out of all the books we used. It was fascinating to see the way narratives differ, and to get more of a personalized account of the conflict. I would recommend pairing this with the Very Short Introduction by Martin Bunton so you can get all the facts first, which should help you look critically at the narratives presented here. I would also recommend not always reading the Israeli narrative first (that is how the book is written). Switching what narrative you read first helps you make sure your thoughts aren't being affected by the order in which the information was presented -- very important if you're trying to be neutral.
14 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
George J
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly illuztrativeof howhistoryvariesdependinf on one'soutlookReviewed in the United States on December 31, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is a remarkable book. It jot only is a good quick history of Palestine/Israel, but it shows how accounts of the same events vary depending on one's outlook. And, given the high emotions on each side, it is remarkable that the authors were able to work together. For a balanced account of the history of the region it is excellent and there is little else like it to be read.
11 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Gabriel Gordon-Harper
5.0 out of 5 stars PowerfulReviewed in the United States on January 26, 2015
Verified Purchase
Extremely well laid out. It is fascinating to read these narratives side by side. I read this during my birthright trip. I felt so much more informed of the issues and people's feelings about them. This deeply enriched my experience and allowed me to have much more meaningful conversations with people on all sides of the spectrum.
4 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
James A. Rosenstein
3.0 out of 5 stars This is an informative approach to learning about and then ...Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is an informative approach to learning about and then comparing and contrasting very different perspectives and narratives about the same incidents.
2 people found this helpful
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JL
4.0 out of 5 stars Very goodReviewed in Canada on March 1, 2024
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Informative and the layout is very interesting. You don’t have to read the chapters in order
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heather turnham
5.0 out of 5 stars This hand mixer is excellent. I have been using this model for several ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2016
Verified Purchase
This hand mixer is excellent. I have been using this model for several years (recently renewed) and
I like the size. It is easy to wash up too!
3 people found this helpfulReport
Donna
5.0 out of 5 stars Good readReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2018
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Got the book late delivery but never mind great read
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===
https://archive.org/details/sidebysideparall0000unse
Side by Side: Parallel Histories of Israel-Palestine Paperback 2012
by Sami Adwan (Editor), Dan Bar-On (Editor), & 2 more
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
A groundbreaking “dual narrative” history of Israel and Palestine which offers a new paradigm for the teaching of history in conflict and post-conflict situations
“The battle lines of the Israel-Palestinian conflict extend to the classroom, where the two sides’ versions of their shared history diverge sharply. Now, two university professors aim to change the way the conflict is taught by exposing Palestinian students to Israeli history lessons and Israeli students to the Palestinian version of history.” —USA Today
More than twenty years ago, in the midst of widespread violence in Israel and Palestine, a group of Israeli and Palestinian teachers gathered to address what, to many people, seemed an unbridgeable gulf between the two societies. Struck by how different the standard Israeli and Palestinian textbook histories of the same events were from one another—whether of the Balfour Declaration or the 1967 War—they began to explore how a new understanding of history itself might open up different kinds of dialogue in an increasingly hostile climate. Their express goal was to “disarm” the teaching of Middle East history in Israeli and Palestinian classrooms.
The result is a riveting and unprecedented “dual narrative” of Israeli and Palestinian history. Side by Side comprises the history of two peoples, in separate narratives set literally side by side, so that readers can track each against the other, noting both where they differ as well as where they correspond. This unique and fascinating format, translated into English from Arabic and Hebrew, reveals surprising juxtapositions and allows readers to consider and process the very different viewpoints and logic of each side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
An eye-opening—and inspiring—new approach to thinking about one of the world’s most deeply entrenched conflicts, Side by Side is a now classic book that offers to its readers a way to discuss and perhaps help find a bridge to peace in the Middle East.Read less
Review
"Innovative... A small but important step, if not toward peace, then perhaps toward understanding... Developed by a group of Israeli and Palestinian teachers, this text will prove useful not just to the young, but to anyone who quails at the thought of even attempting to unravel the knotty history of the Middle East."
―Kirkus Reviews
"The battle lines of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict extend to the classroom, where the two sides' versions of their shared history diverge sharply. Now, two university professors aim to change the way the conflict is taught by exposing Palestinian students to Israeli history lessons and Israeli students to the Palestinian version of history.
―USA Today
About the Author
Peace Research Institute in the Middle East (PRIME) is a nongovernmental organization established by Palestinian and Israeli researchers with the help of the Peace Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany. A co-founder with the late Dan Bar-On of PRIME and its current co-director, Sami Adwan has published widely on the role of education in peacebuilding. PRIME co-director Eyal Naveh is a professor of U.S. history at Tel Aviv University and teaches history and history education at the Kibbutzim College of Education.
Product details
Publisher : The New Press (March 6, 2012)
Language : English
Paperback : 416 pages
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
Talia Ringer
5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changingReviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
Verified Purchase
Life-changing book that marked the start of my journey understanding the differences between the Israeli narrative I grew up on and the Palestinian one, and helping me learn where to fill in the gaps of the story I was told. Eventually, this understanding helped me form friendships with Palestinians, and work towards a better shared future in the land together.
2 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Edmund Whalen
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative.Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
Bought this book as required reading for a "Modern Israel" course i took in undergrad. A great collection of arguments that gives the reader a good breadth of knowledge on the subject. I think more political discussions should be discussed in this manner, to give context to the way history truly unfolds in its many perspectives.
One person found this helpful
HelpfulReport
K. Thurm
4.0 out of 5 stars A Concept Bordering On GeniusReviewed in the United States on January 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
I love the way this book is constructed. The side by side narratives from both the Palestinians and the Jews is a brilliant concept.
For me, the histories given are sometimes a bit shallow. There are errors of fact from both sides, but I guess that's to be expected. I do think this book is worth reading. I believe that few people are well versed in the history of this land and this book will definitely help with understanding some of the issues surrounding the conflict.
For a significantly better history book, I would read "Righteous Victims" by Morris, but this book is a long and complicated read. Most people won't won't have the patience to sift through all 800 pages of this difficult history. "Side by Side" is a reasonable but far less in depth history book.
I would love to see both Jewish and Palestine high school students using "Side by Side" as their text for the study of the conflict, but I doubt most teachers and schools would endorse such a program. Unfortunately, part of the problem with both Palestinians and Jews is their need to indoctrinate their youth with only their narrative. I once heard a Jewish Israeli "scholar" say that he didn't want Jewish kids going to the Hand In Hand School in Israel. This is a wonderful school that educates kids from kindergarten through 12th grade and has both Jewish and Arab teachers teaching the narrative of both sides. This "scholar" said that he might be okay with sending high school students there, but he certainly didn't want younger students participating in such a program. My interpretation: Let us indoctrinate our kids first, and then maybe we'll let them hear the other viewpoint. Oy vey.
9 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Cassie
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful ReadReviewed in the United States on January 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
I had to order this book for on honor's seminar on the Palestinian conflict.
At first I was overwhelmed by the stories - a different side of the conflict is told on either side of the book. The left hand is the view point of Israeli, while the right hand is the view point of Palestinians. At first it is slow but the book picks up and if you are very knowledgeable or new to the conflict (as I was) you will like the book as long as you take the time to read it, and are interested in political/social/cultural affair. This book is not meant to be a text book. This book is not meant to be give one simple facts or to make one side look better or worse than the other. This book is meant to show the reader how the conflict may be analyzed by Israeli and Palestinian citizens - side by side. It is meant to give the reader an understanding of how this struggle came to be and how it has evolved over the years and the reason for the strife that exist between the two ethnic groups today.
11 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Lisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Academically solid, easy to readReviewed in the United States on July 31, 2017
Verified Purchase
Very interesting perspective on the conflict presented in an innovative format. This book was for a class and it was my favorite out of all the books we used. It was fascinating to see the way narratives differ, and to get more of a personalized account of the conflict. I would recommend pairing this with the Very Short Introduction by Martin Bunton so you can get all the facts first, which should help you look critically at the narratives presented here. I would also recommend not always reading the Israeli narrative first (that is how the book is written). Switching what narrative you read first helps you make sure your thoughts aren't being affected by the order in which the information was presented -- very important if you're trying to be neutral.
14 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
George J
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly illuztrativeof howhistoryvariesdependinf on one'soutlookReviewed in the United States on December 31, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is a remarkable book. It jot only is a good quick history of Palestine/Israel, but it shows how accounts of the same events vary depending on one's outlook. And, given the high emotions on each side, it is remarkable that the authors were able to work together. For a balanced account of the history of the region it is excellent and there is little else like it to be read.
11 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Gabriel Gordon-Harper
5.0 out of 5 stars PowerfulReviewed in the United States on January 26, 2015
Verified Purchase
Extremely well laid out. It is fascinating to read these narratives side by side. I read this during my birthright trip. I felt so much more informed of the issues and people's feelings about them. This deeply enriched my experience and allowed me to have much more meaningful conversations with people on all sides of the spectrum.
4 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
James A. Rosenstein
3.0 out of 5 stars This is an informative approach to learning about and then ...Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is an informative approach to learning about and then comparing and contrasting very different perspectives and narratives about the same incidents.
2 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
See more reviews
Top reviews from other countries
JL
4.0 out of 5 stars Very goodReviewed in Canada on March 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
Informative and the layout is very interesting. You don’t have to read the chapters in order
Report
heather turnham
5.0 out of 5 stars This hand mixer is excellent. I have been using this model for several ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2016
Verified Purchase
This hand mixer is excellent. I have been using this model for several years (recently renewed) and
I like the size. It is easy to wash up too!
3 people found this helpfulReport
Donna
5.0 out of 5 stars Good readReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Got the book late delivery but never mind great read
Report
===
SIDE BY SIDE
PARALLEL HISTORIES OF ISRAEL-PALESTINE
EDITED BY SAMI ADWANDAN BAR-ONEYAL NAVEHPEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
RELEASE DATE: OCT. 1, 2011
The Peace Research Institute in the Middle East (PRIME) constructs an innovative textbook juxtaposing the historical narratives of two peoples in seemingly endless conflict.
Developed by a group of Israeli and Palestinian teachers, this text will prove useful not just to the young, but to anyone who quails at the thought of even attempting to unravel the knotty history of the Middle East. Under PRIME’s auspices, editors Adwan (Education/Bethlehem Univ.), Bar-On (now deceased) and Naveh (U.S. History/Tel Aviv Univ.), recognizing that the hostilities run deep and the divisions remain bitter, have set aside any attempt at consensus. They have “settled” instead for dual, oftentimes dueling, narratives of Israeli and Palestinian history, from the 1917 Balfour Declaration through 2000, the end of the Clinton administration and the outbreak of the Second Intifada. On alternate pages, literally “side by side,” the editors present both the Palestinian and Israeli versions of significant events that have marked the fraught decades of the 20th century. This device—along with a short introduction explaining their methodology—helps demonstrate the scrupulousness of their enterprise and underscores the differences between the parties, but it unfortunately makes for cumbersome reading. Alternate chapters would have served just as well to illustrate the stark divisions between these longtime antagonists. One side’s “War of Independence” is the other’s “catastrophe”; for Israel, the 1967 Six-Day War was “a huge victory in a war it didn’t initiate or intend,” where the Palestinians see it as an act of pure “aggression”; for the Israelis, America prosecuted the Gulf War to “maintain stability in the Middle East, “ understanding “its first priority was to achieve a political order acceptable to all sides,” while the Palestinians condemn the U.S. for using “its achievements in the war to enhance its hegemony even on its European allies.” Readers shouldn’t expect fine writing; this is a committee project where the goal is to avoid the flashy or the incendiary, to present, as honestly as possible, each side’s point of view. A small but important step, if not toward peace, then perhaps toward understanding.
===
Alan Zwiren
55 reviews
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May 18, 2020
I am very torn about how many stars I should give this book. On one hand, I found the book to be very frustrating. On the other hand, I found the book extremely enlightening. In the end, I decided to give it five (5) stars to encourage people to read the book.
Side by side as selected in my continuing effort to understand that Palestinian narrative. The book was published as the culmination of an initiative undertaken by the Peace Research Institute in the Middle East (PRIME). Israeli and Palestinian educators came together to build a curriculum and narrative of the history of the region from Balfour Declaration to Oslo and the lack of final solution by 2000.
It has published both versions, the Israeli text on the left-hand page and the Palestinian text on the right. The first challenge is figuring out how to read the book. At first, I attempted to read the Israeli left page followed by the Palestinian right page. This proved to be unsuccessful because the two narratives focus and the pace were different. Thus the topic on one side might not match the subject matter on the other.
There are then two ways to approach the book. Read all one narrative and then read the other. This would be the equivalent of reading two books. The method I settled on was to first read the Palestinian text then the Israeli text chapter by chapter. Since I am already familiar with the Israeli perspective of history, I chose to start with the Palestinian perspective.
Having now read what is being taught to Palestinians in school, I am extremely pessimistic that there will be peace in the upcoming generations. I have read some of the Palestinian perspective, such as the Six Day War was an Israeli war of aggression and expansion; however, I was not prepared for what I read.
In the Palestinian narrative, there was nothing that was ever the fault of the Palestinians. The Palestinian history always assigned blame on the Jews, the British, Europe, the UN, or the US. This is accomplished by omitting key facts from the review of history. For example according to the Palestinian narrative, the British trained the Jews for combat in WW II which prepared them to win in the War of Independence. Of course, the fact that the Palestinians, led by Haj Amin Al-Husseini were allied with Nazi Germany had nothing to do with the fact that the British did not train Palestinians.
Not taking any responsibility for their situation reinforces the victim's story that Palestinians portray to the entire world. And thus far it has been successful; however, I believe as more people study history, they will come to realize that the Palestinians have contributed as much to their current situations as much if not more than any other fact.
I was equally amazed at the Israeli story; however, for much different reasons. When I first learned the "Story of the Foundation of Israel" in Hebrew school, I was told many amazing myths including that Israel invited all Arabs to live in Israel in peace, but they abandoned Israel at the behest of the Arab Legion so the surrounding countries could drive the Jews into the Sea and return twice as much land to the Palestinians. Of course, this narrative is based upon fact that many historians have documented. Efraim Karsh, founding Director of the Middle East and Mediterranean studies in Kings College in London has documented these facts in his book, "Palestine Betrayed." However, more recently a new school of Israeli historians including Benny Morris and Tom Segev has documented the fact that there were Arab villages where the residents were driven out of their homes.
In addition, the Israeli history did not shy away from outright mistakes that were made using the history as an example of what not to do. The Israeli discussion included a section on Kafr Qassem, a blemish on the history of Israel and the IDF where before the eve of the Sinai Campaign, the IDF moved up the curfew for the village of Kafr Qassem; however, many did not hear about it. While Palestinians were returning from the fields, the IDF forces shot innocent civilians. There was an in-depth discussion of the Israelis who were charged and convicted of the massacre and used the incident to highlight the fact it is illegal to follow an illegal order. Considering that this is a High School text and many of the Israeli teens will soon be in the IDF, I found the discussion to be not only refreshing but extremely pertinent to their future.
Unless both sides come to a realistic discussion of the history that occurred in this region over the past 150 years, I doubt there will be peace in the near future. From what I have seen from this effort, we are very far from both sides understanding each other. Although I applaud "Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor" by Yossi Klien Halevi, I think the dialogue has to start at a much younger age and should start with a realistic review of historical facts from ALL perspectives.
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Elliot Ratzman
541 reviews
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May 6, 2013
This was an excellent idea: teams of historians/instructors write parallel histories from an Israeli side and a Palestinian side. It makes for fascinating reading. This might be a fine textbook to base a course on the conflict. However, there are some deep disparities in quality that need to be corrected in future editions. The Israeli side is mostly fine; it’s not the old Zionist propaganda, shows evidence of historical nuance, is critical of some government activities, and notes cleavages within Israel’s populations. It will make apologists uncomfortable. The Palestinian narrative doesn’t do itself justice. The English is wobbly at best, and the last chapter needs a thorough redrafting. The authors side step tensions within Palestinian society especially the rise of Hamas. Suicide bombings are obscured as “resistance activities”. Were political operatives looking over their shoulders? Many claims are irresponsibly vague, and the sloppy references and untraceable endnotes do not help.
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Lane Lender
14 reviews
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April 4, 2018
While the book was well put-together and easy to follow along, I couldn’t help but find myself surprised and disappointed with the different teaching styles of the two textbooks (Israeli and Palestinian). Though, I am admittedly biased, it became clear that the Palestinian textbook, rather than attempting to properly teach the information at hand, it attempts to absolve the Palestinians of any blame and any responsibility for missteps and failures. The Palestinian textbook teaches the reader how it should feel, rather than telling the reader the actual events that occurred. The Israeli textbook noticeably shows accountability for missteps and failures and leaves emotions out of the textbook. Very obvious, noteable differences in education.
5 likes
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Laura
489 reviews
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November 10, 2014
I found this book very informative and rather liked the side-by-side format. My biggest complaint is that the Palestinian side did not appear to be edited as well as the Israeli side. This was quite profound in some instances and while it didn't detract from the validity of the information the disparity could influence the reader negatively. My other complaint is that the maps should have been translated into English. Most of them were useless unless you already knew a lot about the geography of the area. Overall, this was a great introduction to the conflict and I wish it hadn't stopped at the year 2000. If anyone out there reading this has any suggestions for reasonably impartial histories of the area please send them to me.
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Christina
40 reviews
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August 12, 2014
It's definitely an introduction to the conflict, but the parallel histories approach is effective and it's a really good way to learn about the issue.
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AnnieM
459 reviews
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January 3, 2024
This book is an absolute must-read! I have been recommending it to all of my friends. It was written by a team of educators (Israeli and Palestinian) to tell the parallel histories and interpretation and impact of key events on lives in the region. In reading it, while there are differences in interpretation there are also glimmers of hope and common views that can begin bridging the divide in viewpoints to be able to have a robust conversation about current events. I learned a lot by reading this book and feel it gave me a good foundation of the history. The structure is unique -- on one side of the page is the Israeli history and on the other side is the Palestinian history. It took me awhile to figure out the best way to digest it so I ended up realizing what worked for me, was to read through one perspective first and then read through the other perspective. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and The New Press for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.
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Noah
157 reviews
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December 6, 2014
This book is a very interesting concept. It is an attempt at a dual narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On the left side is the Israeli history, and on the right is that of the Palestinians. So instead of their being a single writing style, there are two. The Israeli tone feels a lot more detached, like they are looking objectively at the conflict; however, just because it seems more objective, it doesn't mean it is any more factual. The Palestinian narrative feels a lot more emotional and involved, which is to be expected since they are the ones still suffering from these historical events.
Regarding the history, both narratives deal with the same basic events. It is the perspective that changes. The Israeli perspective comes off as concerned with the “big picture,” for lack of a better term. They justify their actions by pointing to how they have been treated by the surrounding Arab states, and how often deals and arrangements with them have fallen through. The Palestinian narrative is much more concerned with the small picture. There are people suffering, and that is the problem. The troubled relationship between Israel and other Arab states in the past is not an excuse. Israel has to move on and face up to the fact that they are abusing Palestine, and that has to stop.
The main issue with this book is the simplicity of the historical narrative. It only covers the events and details that the authors think are important, and does not usually go far beyond the surface of the events. However, this could be a positive. Since the book's main goal is to enlighten both groups to the narrative of the other side, it does very well. Overall, a good and informative read.
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Gabriella
54 reviews
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December 29, 2013
The idea behind this book is a very important one- that the narratives surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are as important as the objective facts, whatever those even are, in discussing and potentially trying to solve it. I wouldn't recommend this for someone as a first read to get familiar with the conflict, but it's definitely a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the conflict.
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Barbara
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April 27, 2014
I read this for one of my book clubs. The premise of this book is interesting. On facing pages, you have the history of Israel and Palestine from each perspective. All of us found the Israeli story familiar, and the Palestinian story, virtually unknown. This book would make appropriate reading for advanced high school classes and college classes.
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CONFLICT IN ISRAEL PALESTINE
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CONFLICT IN ISRAEL PALESTINE
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