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On Palestine Kindle Edition
by Noam Chomsky (Author), Ilan Pappé (Author), & 1 more Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1.1K
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On Palestine is Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe's indispensable update on a suffering region.
What is the future of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement directed at Israel? Which is more viable, the binational or one state solution? Ilan Pappé and Noam Chomsky, two leading voices in the struggle to liberate Palestine, discuss these critical questions and more in this urgent and timely book, a sequel to their acclaimed Gaza in Crisis.
'Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on foreign policy on the planet' The New York Times Book Review
'Ilan Pappé is Israel's bravest, most principled, most incisive historian' John Pilger
'This sober and unflinching analysis should be read and reckoned with by anyone concerned with practicable change in the long-suffering region' Publishers Weekly (on Gaza in Crisis)
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Print length
168 pages
Language
English
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Review
Chomsky is of course one of the most venerated political critics in the world, and Pappé is regarded as one of Israel’s greatest historians ― The Spinoff
Seminal . . . an erudite and nuanced account of Palestine's history . . . An essential guide to understanding the shifting situation ― Harper's Bazaar
About the Author
George Newbern has appeared in Father of the Bride, Father of the Bride II, Evening Star, Adventures in Babysitting, and many other films. On television, he has had roles on Scandal, Friends, Nip/Tuck, Hot in Cleveland, CSI, and more. He is also known for providing the voice of Superman in Justice League and for narrating audiobooks.
Noam Chomsky is the bestselling author of over one hundred influential political books and is professor emeritus in the department of linguistics and philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ilan Pappe is director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter. He is the bestselling author of over a dozen books, including The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and The Israel/Palestine Question.
Product details
ASIN : B00SUFJ61Q
Publisher : Penguin; 1st edition (7 May 2015)
Language : English
File size : 796 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 168 pagesBest Sellers Rank: 142,726 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)38 in Civil Rights & Liberties (Kindle Store)
102 in Political Philosophy (Kindle Store)
146 in Human Rights Law
Top reviews
Top reviews from Australia
Seri
5.0 out of 5 stars FREE Palestine!!!!Reviewed in Australia on 24 October 2024
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Great read... both extremely credible sources. Free Palestine, free the world.
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Abby McPherson
4.0 out of 5 stars Really insightful discussion on the history of Palestine and IsraelReviewed in Australia on 3 August 2024
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I possibly would have benefitted from reading the book between Chomsky and Pappe before this for a better understanding of the subject but I enjoyed the interview/discussion style, and would have preferred it to continue that way through the whole book rather than jumping to single view essay style excerpts for the second half. Otherwise glad to have read this and understand more on the situation.
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Ede Lappel
4.0 out of 5 stars Good conditionReviewed in Australia on 19 December 2023
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The order arrived later than expected but in good condition
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JS
5.0 out of 5 stars Setting the Record Straight: The Importance of Honest Historical NarrativesReviewed in Canada on 8 October 2024
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If history isn't properly told, how can we learn from past mistakes and build a better future together? I'm thankful for voices like Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé, who strive to set the record straight, even in the face of powerful mainstream media narratives. These narratives often mislead much of the population into believing they are on the 'right side' of history, when in fact, they are not.
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Nabs
5.0 out of 5 stars An important readReviewed in the United States on 12 April 2024
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Set in a conversational format, the discussions between the author & the key speakers lend a lot of context to the Palestinian issue & even though this book was published in 2015, it holds a lot of relevance today as it addresses the past , present & future of the Palestinian state
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vipula
5.0 out of 5 stars An important read.Reviewed in India on 17 May 2024
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Understanding the age old cycle of voilence is imperative to even begin to formulate any opinion on Palestine. This book is a must read.
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Jeffrey
5.0 out of 5 stars Important opinions and facts about Israel and PalestineReviewed in Germany on 20 March 2024
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Two intellectual discussing the Israel/Palestine situation, most of the time I understood and agreed, sometimes I did not understand, but definitely worth reading even though it is nearly 10 years old.
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Sanjeev
5.0 out of 5 stars InsightfulReviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2024
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Fantastic read, really opens your eyes and mind to the atrocities being committed by Isreal currently.
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From Australia
Seri
5.0 out of 5 stars FREE Palestine!!!!
Reviewed in Australia on 24 October 2024
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Great read... both extremely credible sources. Free Palestine, free the world.
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Abby McPherson
4.0 out of 5 stars Really insightful discussion on the history of Palestine and Israel
Reviewed in Australia on 3 August 2024
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I possibly would have benefitted from reading the book between Chomsky and Pappe before this for a better understanding of the subject but I enjoyed the interview/discussion style, and would have preferred it to continue that way through the whole book rather than jumping to single view essay style excerpts for the second half. Otherwise glad to have read this and understand more on the situation.
Helpful
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Ede Lappel
4.0 out of 5 stars Good condition
Reviewed in Australia on 19 December 2023
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The order arrived later than expected but in good condition
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From other countries
RM
4.0 out of 5 stars Una conversazione
Reviewed in Italy on 23 July 2016
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Si presenta come immagino che una conversazione tra Chomsky e Pappe si sviluppi, offre degli spunti interessanti ed è bello che ci sia un libro sul conflitto aggiornato fino al 2014
3 people found this helpful
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Sanjeev
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2024
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Fantastic read, really opens your eyes and mind to the atrocities being committed by Isreal currently.
16 people found this helpful
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vipula
5.0 out of 5 stars An important read.
Reviewed in India on 17 May 2024
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Understanding the age old cycle of voilence is imperative to even begin to formulate any opinion on Palestine. This book is a must read.
Report
Nabs
5.0 out of 5 stars An important read
Reviewed in the United States on 12 April 2024
Verified Purchase
Set in a conversational format, the discussions between the author & the key speakers lend a lot of context to the Palestinian issue & even though this book was published in 2015, it holds a lot of relevance today as it addresses the past , present & future of the Palestinian state
10 people found this helpful
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JS
5.0 out of 5 stars Setting the Record Straight: The Importance of Honest Historical Narratives
Reviewed in Canada on 8 October 2024
Verified Purchase
If history isn't properly told, how can we learn from past mistakes and build a better future together? I'm thankful for voices like Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé, who strive to set the record straight, even in the face of powerful mainstream media narratives. These narratives often mislead much of the population into believing they are on the 'right side' of history, when in fact, they are not.
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Angel
5.0 out of 5 stars Un libre fundamental para entender lo que sucede sobre el terreno.
Reviewed in Spain on 16 November 2023
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Excelente libro
One person found this helpful
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Jeffrey
5.0 out of 5 stars Important opinions and facts about Israel and Palestine
Reviewed in Germany on 20 March 2024
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Two intellectual discussing the Israel/Palestine situation, most of the time I understood and agreed, sometimes I did not understand, but definitely worth reading even though it is nearly 10 years old.
One person found this helpful
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André Gargoura
5.0 out of 5 stars Incisive dialogue on a suffering Palestine !!!
Reviewed in France on 10 December 2018
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A must read for anyone interested in liberating Palestine : a dialogue between two leading sages, Pappé and Chomsky, about this lasting disaster, sages who show us that the two-state "solution" is a US-Israeli trap aimed at an everlasting statu quo, i.e. a disguised apartheid, i.e. quoting Ilan Pappé :
" Five minutes on the ground shows you that one state is already there. It's a non-democratic regime, an apartheid regime. So you just need to think about how to change this regime. You do not need to think about a two-state solution. You need to think about how to change the relations between the communities, how to affect the power structure in place ".
That book was followed by Pappé's masterpiece "The idea of Israel".
6 people found this helpful
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Christopher
5.0 out of 5 stars Opens your eyes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2024
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I liked the discussion on similarities between apartheid south africa and palestine...
Like Chuck D says 'its a battle for your mind, just like israel and palestine'
2 people found this helpful
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Naved Bakali
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in Canada on 2 October 2024
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Excellent
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Holly
5.0 out of 5 stars Free palestine
Reviewed in the United States on 3 April 2024
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The info in this book rings true today
6 people found this helpful
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Raua Al-Mudhaffar
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
Reviewed in Germany on 11 March 2024
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If you want to honestly educate yourself well on Palestine I recommend this book to you. So many people don’t take time to read on this issue to be better informed
One person found this helpful
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KBM
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book.
Reviewed in India on 9 November 2023
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Reads like an interview.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Informative, easy read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 February 2024
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I started reading this yesterday, so far it is an easy read and super informative.
The book was damaged though, which I only noticed as I started reading it. A few of the pages came out as I turned the page! So that was a bit disappointing
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Mohammed Arif
4.0 out of 5 stars Smallet size than regular Penguin books
Reviewed in India on 11 August 2021
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This book is smaller in size than regular Penguin books, I am yet to read the book. Delivery was good, one day delivery with prime. Purchased Rs. 278
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3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars 👍🏼
Reviewed in Canada on 17 December 2023
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Informative
4 people found this helpful
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CuriousOne
4.0 out of 5 stars What happens next is a welcome set of ideas as the US heads into bankruptcy
Reviewed in the United States on 11 October 2015
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I became interested in the Middle East after 9/11. I first read the history of each country via my old Britannica encyclopedias circa 1970. Since I was friends with several engineering students sent by the Shah of Iran in his efforts to modernize the country. Those people were very much like traditional Americans, respecting the girls they dated without trying to get sex, fun-loving, etc....They were abandoned upon the demise of the Shah. When the US decided to invade Iraq, I was stunned, as it reminded me of the old red coats against the hidden gorilla forces of the US. Washington said 8 Saudis caused the 9/11 destruction, and I wondered what that had to do with Sadam Hussein....The lie that weapons of mass destruction was eventually exposed, but only after the US military had destroyed most of the country, and killed untold numbers of innocents. No true Christian can approve of such barbarity, much less cause it...I read the history of Israel and "Against Our Better Judgment" gave the entire history of it. The US has now destroyed much of the Middle East in its 'War on Terror'......Why? Why has such unhinged people as John McCain now demanded WW3 against Russia simply because Russia is supporting a legitimate government in Syria? The American people are now being led to believe all Arabs are evil, even though many in my area are average middle class families living in peace. Before Israel was created, Christians and Arabs had gotten along for centuries in Palestine. This book is a welcome addition to the warning bell being sounded around the world that the US is now the evil empire bent on total world dominance. Americans have been brainwashed so thoroughly by media and government schools (using textbooks by the same corporate demons who control the media) they don't even know their own history. How many have learned that Pearl Harbor was a ploy by Roosevelt to get the US into WW2 on the side of Stalin? Yet several documentary books have been published thanks to the FOIA law and the decades that have passed since then....As TEA Party and Occupy Wall Street activists were demonized by the press and anyone in Washington who points out the total corruption gets the same treatment. The American people have lost their government a long time ago. The only prop holding up the 70-year-long genocide in Palestine is the US government.
40 people found this helpful
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bekerdan
5.0 out of 5 stars Lehrreich
Reviewed in Germany on 12 March 2016
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Chomsky und Pappé nicht wirklich im Zwiegespräch aber dennoch stimmen sie nicht in allen Punkten überein, was dem Buch definitiv zuträglich ist und nicht nach Konsenssoße schmeckt. Aber selbst wenn es letzteres gewesen wäre, ändert das nichts an der Richtigkeit und Wichtigkeit der adressierten Themen. Sehr lesenswert vor allem auch weil bezugnehmend auf aktuelle Entwicklungen, die trotz ihrere Wichtigkeit nicht so präsent waren in meinem Kopf wie sie es verdient hätten. Dem hat die Lektüre Abhilfe verschaffen.
8 people found this helpful
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Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
Reviewed in Germany on 30 August 2017
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A must read for everyone who wants to stop living in an Illusion - Ein Must Read für alle Menschen, die aufhören wollen in einer Illusion zu leben.
6 people found this helpful
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said
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book about Palestine.
Reviewed in Canada on 2 July 2020
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This book has corrected many misconceptions I had about Palestine. Things you can't and won't hear in mainstream media. I absolutely love it!
7 people found this helpful
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Dr Sumaiya Khan
5.0 out of 5 stars Read the book, to have a glimpse of whole picture & to connect the dots.
Reviewed in India on 27 May 2021
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The recent massacre in Palestine and ensuing debates and arguments of both the sides pushed me to read more on the subject.
If I may put it in one word, it was an enlightening read.
One person found this helpful
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Jules
5.0 out of 5 stars An essential read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2024
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This book should be compulsory reading. It sheds so much factual light on what people like to call a "complicated" situation. This book shows the pattern of aggressions from Israel and the US. It discusses intelligently what could be a resolution. It was written in 2014 and says a lot about today.
4 people found this helpful
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Texan88
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read!
Reviewed in the United States on 31 January 2024
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This book offers a great discussion and critical analysis of historical facts by two of the greatest scholars on Palestine.
12 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A good overview for the ignorant.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 July 2024
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A really nice, accessible collection of conversations and essays, compiled together. This book is a good way to learn some basics about the conflict, it doesn't have all the answers but simply taking it in and understanding it is helpful. To me at least.
2 people found this helpful
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Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr lesenswert. Interessante und kritische Gedanken
Reviewed in Germany on 21 May 2019
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Gibt einen kritischen Einblick und das auf recherchierter und reflektierter Ebene
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Truth laid bare
Reviewed in India on 23 April 2017
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'... the truth, only the truth nothing but truth.... ' has been laid bare by the duo, which only a few could reach it overshadowed by the powerful mainstream media..
2 people found this helpful
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delisle34
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read and understandable critic of the two-state solution
Reviewed in Canada on 24 January 2017
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A great book that's accessible to everyone who wants to understand more about Israel and Palestine and the much talked about two-state solution
5 people found this helpful
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Alex
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opener
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2023
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Great read
5 people found this helpful
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Ibn Zobair al-Hussaini
4.0 out of 5 stars Most of the content is well-known, but what is not is essential
Reviewed in the United States on 19 July 2015
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For people who have researched the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, most of the content of this book is well known as it describes the current situation and sets the record straight. That being said, the discussions between Pappe and Chomsky are beneficial to anyone who wants to know how to ensure the human rights of those living under the occupation. One particular point that is essential is that the United States has to be held accountable for Israel's systematic oppression of Palestinians. This is the thrust of Noam Chomsky's critique of BDS. He believes it will be ineffective/counterproductive unless it clarifies the role the United States plays and includes it in its campaigns. What follows is an intriguing discussion between two of the most renowned scholars on this conflict regarding the solution. This is a MUST READ for pro-Palestinian activists.
41 people found this helpful
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sergei kochkin
5.0 out of 5 stars Probably a realistic portrayal of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship
Reviewed in the United States on 12 June 2015
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I find it offensive when people call Chomsky a "self-hating Jew". Why would a man of such international fame and achievement take up such a cause? Chomsky is Jewish, has a Zionist background and lived in Israel. He is critical of Israel and U.S. Foreign policy because he feels the current situation is morally reprehensible. He is not alone and his story is corroborated by others such as Chris Hedges and basically every other country other than Israel and the U.S. as well as Amnesty International and the UN. Any criticism of Israel is considered anti-semiticism. This unfortunate label guarantees the world will never solve the problem. Another label is "far left". I simply see him as a caring humanitarian.
111 people found this helpful
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C. Franklin
4.0 out of 5 stars Very small print
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2021
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Penguin Special but why such small print? It doesn't make for comfortable reading. The subject deserves better.
4 people found this helpful
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Tyrone poet
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent outline of the new movement arguing for a 'one state solution' for the Palestinian Israeli conflict
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 October 2015
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The old idea of a 'two state solution' between the native Palestinians and Israel is thoroughly debated and shown that rather than being a pathway to peace it would result in much more conflict. As outlandish as it might seem , the solution lies in just one state in which the Jewish settlers and Palestinians co-exist as equals. In this book the authors clearly state out how it would be possible to bring this about. More importantly they point out what you can do to help bring this about irrespective of where you live or what your own station in life may be.
18 people found this helpful
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Nigel C
5.0 out of 5 stars As described and on time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 October 2021
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Book arrived on time and is as described. There are some other comments that suggest the size of book and font type are somewhat lacking. I have not found this to be case for my purchase.
3 people found this helpful
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Karen L. Batroukh
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reading, written by two very knowledgable teachers and ...
Reviewed in the United States on 19 December 2016
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Excellent reading, written by two very knowledgable teachers and M.E, professors. I would recommend this book as required reading for those who want to know the history and reality of the people who are caught up in a land and culture grab financed by American wealth. In reality we Americans are the Goliath and the Palestinians are the David's. So sad. I cherish many friends and families from having visited Palestine many times.
18 people found this helpful
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Butterfly
5.0 out of 5 stars Brave and raw
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 July 2021
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Sometimes things are so close that you can’t see it clearly anymore. This book brings two amazing minds on the most tragic issues in the Middle East.
2 people found this helpful
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cameron
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 August 2019
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Noam Chomsky’s insight and thought provoking discussion of the problems and solutions surrounding the Israeli/ Palestine conflict. I got it for a foundational understanding of a history topic I was about to undertake, and although it wasn’t directly necessary, I’d recommend the book all the same, it was a truly worthwhile read.
14 people found this helpful
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shabnam nesha
1.0 out of 5 stars Pages without Print!!!!
Reviewed in India on 3 February 2024
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Got the book and 50% Pages are blank?? This is pathetic..there should be certain quality check point before any dispatch to customer..
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Salim
5.0 out of 5 stars A solid deconstruction of the current hegemonic discourse on Palestine
Reviewed in the United States on 10 July 2015
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A mind blowing read! As you would expect it from Chomsky. In this book he and Ilan Pappe go beyond the current hegemonic discourse to offer an alternative deconstruction of the Palestinian question! Rather than reproducing the nowadays accepted propagandist discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they offer an alternative yet very solid description of the big picture...
12 people found this helpful
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paola boi
5.0 out of 5 stars an unusually courageous report, a rewarding intellectual and emotional experience
Reviewed in the United States on 6 February 2016
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One of the best accounts of the troublesome history of that corner of the world. Pappe's courage, his crystal-like flow of discourse make for a remarkable combination of intelligence and participation. Few people can write with similar honesty and clarity on such a muddy reality.
I was admired and moved. Strongly recommended
17 people found this helpful
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Hussain
5.0 out of 5 stars i highly recommend for everyone to read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2021
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love the book, very interesting to read. I highly recommend.
One person found this helpful
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Catalin
5.0 out of 5 stars Chilling
Reviewed in the United States on 14 January 2020
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I wanted to get a grasp on the matter in Middle East and I think this is a must read.
14 people found this helpful
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Ehsan Ebrahimzadeh
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for any intellectual and activist
Reviewed in the United States on 18 August 2018
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The book offers both a historic overview of Israel's aggression on Palestinians with the discourse used to justify it and a view of the current and future situation of the issue.
9 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Readable book.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2018
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A thought provoking book that shows Zionism to be in it's purest form, to be immoral. It shows the Palestinian point of view to be irrefutable,and after reading this book I'm totally on the side of the Palestinian cause
45 people found this helpful
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surfingbookworm
5.0 out of 5 stars On Palestine
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 February 2019
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Reads as if you were sat with these men discussing this situation. Great arguments presented delivered with honesty and passion. A brilliant collection.
16 people found this helpful
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Roger J Pacheco
4.0 out of 5 stars "The Truth"
Reviewed in the United States on 16 January 2016
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I wish more Americans would read this book to get a "balanced view of what actually is going on in Palestine
6 people found this helpful
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Fatboy Fat
5.0 out of 5 stars None
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2018
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Noam should be an essential advisor to whatever war mad chuffwit the Yanks inaugurate, as he is immensely knowledgeable, sensible and fair. I pity the Palestinians. And whoever reads my reviews.
35 people found this helpful
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lewis simpson
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2018
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boycott Israel
36 people found this helpful
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On Palestine
Noam Chomsky
,
Ilan Pappé
,
Frank Barat
(Editor)
4.25
9,267 ratings1,240 reviews
Operation Protective Edge, Israel's most recent assault on Gaza, left thousands of Palestinians dead and cleared the way for another Israeli land grab. The need to stand in solidarity with Palestinians has never been greater. Ilan Pappé and Noam Chomsky, two leading voices in the struggle to liberate Palestine, discuss the road ahead for Palestinians and how the international community can pressure Israel to end its human rights abuses against the people of Palestine. On Palestine is the sequel to their acclaimed book Gaza in Crisis.
Genres
Nonfiction
Politics
History
Philosophy
Essays
Audiobook
War
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220 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2015
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About the author
Profile Image for Noam Chomsky.
Noam Chomsky
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Avram Noam Chomsky is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He is a laureate professor of linguistics at the University of Arizona and an institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Among the most cited living authors, Chomsky has written more than 150 books on topics such as linguistics, war, and politics. In addition to his work in linguistics, since the 1960s Chomsky has been an influential voice on the American left as a consistent critic of U.S. foreign policy, contemporary capitalism, and corporate influence on political institutions and the media.
Born to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants in Philadelphia, Chomsky developed an early interest in anarchism from alternative bookstores in New York City. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania. During his postgraduate work in the Harvard Society of Fellows, Chomsky developed the theory of transformational grammar for which he earned his doctorate in 1955. That year he began teaching at MIT, and in 1957 emerged as a significant figure in linguistics with his landmark work Syntactic Structures, which played a major role in remodeling the study of language. From 1958 to 1959 Chomsky was a National Science Foundation fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study. He created or co-created the universal grammar theory, the generative grammar theory, the Chomsky hierarchy, and the minimalist program. Chomsky also played a pivotal role in the decline of linguistic behaviorism, and was particularly critical of the work of B.F. Skinner.
An outspoken opponent of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, which he saw as an act of American imperialism, in 1967 Chomsky rose to national attention for his anti-war essay "The Responsibility of Intellectuals". Becoming associated with the New Left, he was arrested multiple times for his activism and placed on President Richard M. Nixon's list of political opponents. While expanding his work in linguistics over subsequent decades, he also became involved in the linguistics wars. In collaboration with Edward S. Herman, Chomsky later articulated the propaganda model of media criticism in Manufacturing Consent, and worked to expose the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. His defense of unconditional freedom of speech, including that of Holocaust denial, generated significant controversy in the Faurisson affair of the 1980s. Chomsky's commentary on the Cambodian genocide and the Bosnian genocide also generated controversy. Since retiring from active teaching at MIT, he has continued his vocal political activism, including opposing the 2003 invasion of Iraq and supporting the Occupy movement. An anti-Zionist, Chomsky considers Israel's treatment of Palestinians to be worse than South African–style apartheid, and criticizes U.S. support for Israel.
Chomsky is widely recognized as having helped to spark the cognitive revolution in the human sciences, contributing to the development of a new cognitivistic framework for the study of language and the mind. Chomsky remains a leading critic of U.S. foreign policy, contemporary capitalism, U.S. involvement and Israel's role in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and mass media. Chomsky and his ideas are highly influential in the anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist movements. Since 2017, he has been Agnese Helms Haury Chair in the Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona.
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Profile Image for Amal Bedhyefi.
Amal Bedhyefi
196 reviews
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June 19, 2019
I've read this book twice so I can grasp everything.
I know that some people won't read it because of Ilan Pappé's nationality , but you have to read this to know his position . Being an israeli does not simply mean being a zionist or an anti-palestine.
This book defnitely exceeded my expectations .
It was enlightening , insightful and it made me eager to pick up more books on Palestine.
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بثينة العيسى
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December 23, 2023
قبل سبع سنواتٍ تقريبًا وجدتُ هذا الكتاب، بنسخته الإنجليزية، على طاولة العرض في مكتبة واترستونز، في بيكاديللي، بالاسمين الذين أجلّهما كثيرًا؛ إلان بابيه ونعوم تشومسكي. كنتُ سعيدة لأن كتابًا مثل هذا لم يدفن في الأدراج الخلفية بل وضع في الواجهات، فحصلتُ على نسخةٍ منه (من باب المؤازرة بالدرجة الأولى) ولم أقرأه حتى الأسبوع الماضي، عندما فوجئت بالترجمة العربية تصدر عن دار جدل الكويتية، وكنت سعيدة وفخورة.
المهم في هذا الكتاب هو طزاجته، ففي حين كان كل ما قرأتهُ عن فلسطين يتعلق بما حدث في النكبة والنكسبة وما بينهما، جاء هذا الكتاب متبصرًا تجاه الماضي والحاضر والمستقبل معًا. أحببتُ إلان بابيه أكثر، لأنه كما نقول بالدارجة الكويتية «ما يطق الطار مقلوب»، ويعرفُ بأن المشكلة الراديكالية تحتاج حلًا راديكاليًا - إن جاز استعارة هذه المقولة من نورمن فنكلستين - وأنَّ حل الدولتين، أو ما سمي بـ «عملية السلام» هو مجرد سياسة أمريكية للإبقاء على الترتيبات الراهنة. وأن الترتيبات الراهنة هي كابوسنا الأمريكي الذي لا نهاية له.
سيجادل تشومسكي بأن حل الدولتين هو الحلّ الوحيد الذي يحظى بشرعية دولية وإجماع عالمي وموافقة المحيط العربي، لكن بابيه سيكون ناصعًا في موقفه بأن الحل هو في دولة واحدة تأخذ مسافة متساوية من الجميع، وأن الإيديولوجيا الصهيونية لا يمكنها إلا توليد مزيد من اللا عدالة، والعنصرية، والمجازر.
نشر هذا الكتاب بعد العدوان على غزة في 2014 والذي استمر لخمسين يومًا، أرقام الضحايا التي رصدت وقتها هي لا شيء بالمق��رنة مع ما حدث بعد السابع من أكتوبر (2200+)، وأعتقد بأن هذا هو ما جعل تجربة قراءة الكتاب أكثر قسوة، لأنها مليئة بالربط والمقارنات المؤلمة، وبتعبير يوسا: ليس ثمة حد أدنى للانحدار.
شكرًا دار جدل على ترجمة كتاب مهم.
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Sleepless Dreamer
878 reviews
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November 16, 2023
The title of this book is "On Palestine". However, like most conversations about Palestine, it very quickly becomes a lecture about all the things Israel is doing wrong. There are no Palestinian voices here as Chomsky and Pappe attempt to convince us that it's all Israel's fault.
My biggest issue with this book is that both Chomsky and Pappe seem to describe the situation as if it is the result of some big master plan. Reading this book, it's easy to connect the dots and assume that the end goal of Zionism was to get rid of all of the Arabs and that now, years later, we're still trying to achieve this goal. In fact, they outright say this eventually.
I can't word how ridiculous and misleading this slant is. As I see it, most governments do not have a huge scheming master plan. That's not how politics work, you know? Politics are much more of a tug of war of interests and power. I assure you, with the diversity of Israel, there isn't this plan that everyone agrees on. Like dude, we have over 40 parties, you can't seriously think they all agree on something.
Instead, I think we're just found ourselves in this terrible situation. In many ways, that's worse because it's a result of many different policies which have all impacted the situation and yet, we haven't been able to solve it. Decisions that appeared minor ended up being crucial (like Israel not having an official policy about the West Bank) while decisions that seemed great ended up being catastrophic (Oslo Accords, for example).
The reason why I'm so passionate about this conflict is precisely because I know we can do better. I know that we've found ourselves in a bad place and that we can fix it, together. If I would have believed Israel is simply an evil country, I would have left years ago. I just don't think that's right in any way.
In order to carve out their narrative, Chomsky and Pappe simply remove the parts that don't work with it. I realize that we all do that but still, come on. You can't talk about the security fence and not talk about the intifadas, where buses were exploding and killing civilians every day. You can't talk about Operation Protective Edge without mentioning the 100+ rockets flying in from Gaza. Context matters.
Chomsky and Pappe are so bent on their claim that they end up saying things that seem like a conspiracy theory. Do you seriously believe that Israel wasted tons of tax money for Operation Protective Edge because there was an Israeli guy that had befriended a Palestinian guy and were discussing peace? Seriously? Everyone's discussing peace, it's an Israeli pastime, practically our national sport.
There's a part where they say that the sadness over the disengagement from Gaza was fake and staged. I don't understand how anyone could think that. Even with everything you can think ideologically, it is very reasonable that people will be upset that they are forced to leave their homes. Again, it sounds like a conspiracy theory, not too far from the time Iran thought a dolphin was a spy device (my favorite Wikipedia page- "Israel-related animal conspiracy theories").
Now, I realize that I have never suffered to the extent of any Palestinian. I know this. However, this entire conflict is not great for Israelis either. Even if I'm willing to put aside the Palestinian violence we experience, do you realize how much money Israel wastes on this? How I've wasted two years of my own life for this? I don't understand how anyone could think that we want this. I don't think there's a single Israeli that looks at the current situation and thinks, "this is ideal, we've trapped all of the Palestinians! Now we can take lots of 18 year olds and have them spend their time getting stones thrown on them! Perfect!".
Don't get me wrong, we have problems with racism but there's a difference between racism (which plagues most countries) and claiming that Israel has an inherent policy against Arabs and plans to get rid of them. If this were the case, why do you think Israel hasn't already?
Throughout the book, they compare Israel to South Africa. Now, I am only a lowly first year Politics student and yet, literally in my first class of Comparative Politics, we talked about how there are limits to what you can compare. Israel and South Africa are just not the same. I could expand about this but this article does it better than me.
There were some really basic misunderstandings about the Israeli society, which is weird because Pappe is Israeli (although, he's from Haifa so you know, maybe understanding other parts of the country isn't his strong suit). There's this misconception that seems to think that Israel is entirely made out of religious ultra nationalist zealots. There's a point where they triumphantly say that Zionism is not religious, as if we don't all know that.
The truth is just so much more complicated. Sure, there are religious ultra nationalist zealots but they're not the majority. There are secular right wing people (and a lot of them), there are socialist right wing parties, there are religious parties without any leaning in the conflict. Just as the Palestinians have many different opinions, so do we.
The majority of this country is secular but ethnically and culturally Jewish. This means that the appeal of the land isn't "God promised" but more along the lines of "you can't dig in Jerusalem without coming across Jewish cemeteries, this land is drenched in our history, there has never been a time without some type of Jewish life here". Of course, they don't say this.
They talk about indoctrination which I found weird because it was in the United States that we started each day by saying the Pledge of Alliance (and as a kid, I distinctively remember being confused as to why we were talking to a flag). It's convenient to frame Israel as indoctrinating people simply because it's harder to be able to accept that yes, we do have a valid narrative and it is no less valid than the Palestinian one.
When I say that the problem is in both sides, I think you can see this everywhere. Our schools refuse to teach us about Islam and their schools refuse to teach them about Judaism. We do not learn about the Palestinian narrative and they do not learn about the Israeli narrative. They don't learn about the Holocaust or worse, learn about Holocaust denial while we simply don't talk about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
And right now, I can't stop thinking about how extremism is going to lead us into a disaster. Like, people are dying and all Chomsky and Pappe want to do is try and cripple the Israeli economy, as if the Palestinian economy doesn't also use our currency, which means that we are in the same boat.
I've been reading a lot about North Korea lately. I'm not going to compare Israel to North Korea, obviously but I can't get over how differently the story gets told. Both of the books I read about North Korea are told by North Koreans. This book does not have a single Palestinian speaking. No where does it ask what Palestinians want in terms of a resolution. I had hoped maybe to get insight into the complexity of the Palestinian society but nope, all we get is Chomsky ranting about how the two state solution is dead.
If this wasn't enough, the formatting of the book was not great. Here is an example of how it looked:
Chomsky: *says a thing*
Pappe: Absolutely. If I may add, *says mostly the same thing*
Chomsky: True! Ilan, your intellect is stunning. *says almost the same thing*
Pappe: Well, Noam, your mind is brilliant, I can't agree more.
I mean, what's the point of a conversation if they agree with each other like this? Now, this book could have been really cool if they found a Zionist Israeli (and I'm sure it's not that hard to find in MIT) and hey, since they support them so much, a representative from the Hamas and were willing to moderate the conversation.
Honestly, I could go on but I have some studying to do. One of my dreams is to write a proper book about Israel and Palestine that will have proper representation of everyone, and attempt to show the eccentricities and intricacies of the conflict. I want to read a book about this area of the world that I will be able to think, "there, that's me". If that book doesn't exist, I may just end up creating it. This book was very far from it.
What I'm Taking With Me
- You know, there's that thing about how Jews always blame themselves for everything bad. Definitely can see that here.
- Also, can we talk about how Ilan Pappe is an Israeli who moved to the UK after he simultaneously supported BDS and worked in an Israeli university? Can you imagine how bizarre it is to be like, "we must boycott Israeli academia" and still literally get paid by an Israeli university?
- On that note, I'm so tired of Israelis who move out and feel like they can blame Israel for everything, like dude, you decided to leave, you can't pretend to care so much after you left.
- Also, as a side note, I have never heard any Israeli ever refer to the wars in Gaza as "mowing the grass".
- Okay I googled and Bennett used it once as a weird metaphor but apart from that, we don't even have that much grass here in Israel so this metaphor really doesn't work as well as it does in an American perspective.
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Nick Pengelley
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June 10, 2015
Brilliant. If only the people who really mattered, in terms of bringing a halt to the violence and the exile, would read it.
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ren ♡
393 reviews
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November 7, 2023
“How, then, does one become an activist?
The easy answer would be to say that we do not become activists; we simply forget that we are. We are all born with compassion, generosity, and love for others inside us. We are all moved by injustice and discrimination. We are all, inside, concerned human beings. We all want to give more than to receive. We all want to live in a world where solidarity and companionship are more important values than individualism and selfishness. We all want to share beautiful things; experience joy, laughter, love; and experiment, together.” (introduction)
On Palestine is probably not the best place to start for those who are interested in understanding what’s going on in Palestine right now – It definitely requires readers to have a foundational knowledge of historical events, figures, and policies. There are also discussions pertaining to the BDS campaign, the OSLO acords, the one state/two state solution and comparisons made to other historical events such as South African apartheid, Arab spring etc. So, unless you’re familiar with these ideas and events, you might feel a little lost. However, I still do consider this book a valuable read, even when Ilan Pappé and Noam Chomsky differ in their opinions.
As many other reviewers have said, this book is also a bit dated (granted it was published in 2015) and repetitive (granted it’s a dialogue format), but I found this book to be very informative and accessible nonetheless. I know many readers will prefer reading from Palestinian voices, but I think Pappé and Chomsky make important contributions to the discourse, and I applaud them for their activism and their advocacy.
Rating: 4/5
RESOURCES & FURTHER READING:
▪️ If you want to start learning about what's going on, I highly recommend: The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler-Colonial Conquest and Resistance, 1917-2017.
▪️ If you want to know who to boycott, check out: https://bdsmovement.net/.
▪️ If you’re interested in doing some further reading specifically about antisemitism and Zionism, I highly recommend reading: The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering by Norman G. Finkelstein - he is referred to in this book. Trust me, it will blow your mind.
▪️ I urge everyone to stay informed, follow Palestinian voices on whatever social media accounts you have, and SHARE SHARE SHARE.
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Shaimaa
248 reviews
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April 22, 2024
If you have time to read only one book before the end of this year, please make it this one.
Definitely the most precious and important book of the year for me.
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John Anthony
858 reviews
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May 18, 2020
The follow up to Gaza in Crisis, the two Jewish professors’ dialogues and reflections are aided by Frank Barat, human rights activist and coordinator of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine.
It is not an easy read, the subject ensures that. War crimes, genocide, racist supremacy, apartheid and naked Imperialism ( Zionism in this case), still going on, bankrolled by America, with Europe weakly murmuring in the wings but afraid to ruffle American feathers. There is a lot of repetition – a re-run of the same old, same old tale, fighting between the 2 sides, a truce declared; the Palestinians keep the truce but Israel continues with the aggression, provoking a response from the Palestinians to enable the fighting to resume in earnest. Israel grabs more territory meanwhile, ejects the natives wherever possible or starves them into submission. (But allowing just enough calorie intake to ensure they stay alive). Ghastly ironies.
Comparisons are frequently made throughout the book with South Africa in the days of apartheid. The essential difference between the respective oppressed however, according to Chomsky and Pappe, is that the black population in South Africa constituted the bulk of the workforce and were therefore needed. The Palestinians on the other hand, apart from a handful of very wealthy ones, are entirely expendable. The old regime in South Africa fell, finally, after America withdrew support and, less well known, Cuban forces cleared South African settlers from neighbouring lands.
Whilst worldwide public pressure is mounting, demanding a fairer deal for the Palestinians, Chomsky and Pappe point to ways that this can be more effectively channelled towards altering their governments’ policies, especially America’s.
The book would benefit from having a map or maps showing the territories/regions/countries referred to in the text.
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Farhana
314 reviews
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January 18, 2023
It's often precarious to talk about Israel-Palestine issue without getting the "anti-semitic" tag!
Throughout this book Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappe repeatedly tried to educate the readers so that they recognize the "settler-colonialism" model behind Israel's policy and Zionism that have continually led to human rights violations through geostrategic expulsion and dispossession of the Palestinians while Israel continues to maintain its neoliberal image.
The never-ending loop of "provoke-until-they-react & use-that-excuse-to-increase-violence" has resulted in a deadlock situation, which has sustained over years and it reveals Israel's mock attempt to engage in contrived peace talk. Both authors discuss the futility of two-state solution in the face of Israel's open settler-colonialist tactics and the potential alternatives. For the most part, the book academically approaches the Israel-Palestine conflict from a decolonial lens and urges to not only condemn the Israeli policy but also the Zionist philosophy behind it that makes such large-scale human rights violation possible via ghettoization and dehumanization of the Arabs with continued diplomatic approval from the US and the Europe.
Noam and Ilan both stress the importance to adopt a new dictionary and language to communicate the realities on the ground. They point that Israel's narrative on the issue is identical to that of "newspeak" from George Orwell's 1984 that satisfy their racist, colonial agenda of expansion. They also disentangle the politics of neocolonialism that enables Israel to appeal to the Westerners while providing centers of neoliberal affluence (restaurants, theaters, gay bars as being inclusive of any gender identity is considered the highest form of liberal attitude in modern Western discourse) to tourists and Palestinian elites while maintaining the charade of a progressive, humanist soceity.
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Hiba⁷
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June 4, 2021
*3.5
Whenever I pick up a book about Palestine, it's always by a Palestinian, never by an outsider. This time, however, I picked up a book that has been on my TBR list for so long, and let's face it, having Pappé's and Chomsky's names on a book has a special effect.
Like Freedom Is a Constant Struggle, this book starts with discussions led by Frank Barat, whose questions, I must admit, are always great and to the point. I enjoyed this part of the book very much, as it was original and not a reprint of an old speech or article, and also because the back-and-forth discussion between the two "interviewees" was very enjoyable to read and enlightening. Pappé starts by setting up a new lexicon to be used when discussing the Palestinian cause, and I definitely agree with it, because Israel has always been adamant in its attempts to dampen its acts, gloss over the facts, and outrightly erase Palestinians. Indeed, since I was a kid, I never heard anyone calling what Israel did and still does 'ethnic cleansing' and 'apartheid', it's always 'so complicated' and has 'so many factors at play', so much so that many simply abandoned the cause pretending to 'not understand' what's going on, when it's right in their faces.
The conversations between Chomsky and Pappé mostly yield an agreement, but they disagree on certain matters, like the one or two-state solutions, and which one should be implemented. And although I am of Pappé's mind, that a one-state solution is the only fair solution, I still don't fully grasp what he means exactly by saying one-state, as his speech is very vague and does not specify the terms of this state. I liked, though, his insistance on the right of all those who suffered tahjeer to return.
As I said at first, I am used to reading exclusively Palestinian voices, so my not being smitten with this book might be because of that. Of course, globalizing activism is crucial, because the Palestinian cause, like all other causes, is not exclusive to Palestinians only. It is our cause, and something that we've grown into, something engraved in our minds and hearts, but I might have liked the book better if it had the contribution of a Palestinian voice.
Very insightful, very debatable, very worth the read.
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Jamie
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January 9, 2020
Many of the world’s problems are so intractable that it’s hard to think of ways even to take steps toward mitigating them.
The Israel-Palestine conflict is not one of these.
I admit I’ve fallen prey to the line, re: the occupation of Palestine, “it’s too complex to understand.” Not only is that too easy an out, it’s an outright lie, as this book thankfully illustrates. Chomsky and Pappé cut through the murk of propaganda and politic with much-needed clarity. As per usual, things get spun as a “peace process” when the real words are too ugly: colonization, ethnic cleansing, and incremental genocide. And when there’s a profit involved.
The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians is a medical miracle: it died several times, was resuscitated for a while, then collapsed again. It holds on not because there is the slight chance it will succeed but because of the dividends its very existence brings to many involved.
That means there’s a precedent, though, that such things can be stopped once people see through the narrative and start taking a stand. Excellent primer on where to start looking, i.e. how big a role the US plays in the atrocity, and what it will take for that to change.
The dehumanization in Iraq and Syria is widespread and terrifying, as it is in Gaza. But there is one crucial difference between these cases and the Israeli brutality: the former are condemned as barbarous and inhuman worldwide, while those committed by Israel are still publicly licensed and approved by the president of the United States, the leaders of the European Union, and Israel’s other friends in the world.
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