Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Has anyone noticed how so many "reviewers" of books on the Israeli/Arab conflict (oddly not any other) are described as "A reader": for example this title - 7/8; "Myths and Facts: a Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict (Paperback)" - 5/7; "The Case for Israel" - 12/25. Someone should take the time to make a list and see whether "A Reader" tends to support one side rather than the other. Certainly appears so on this page. No axe to grind here (just enjoy a good read and enjoy impartial reviews - not that many on this subject) but it's easy to believe someone or some organisation was deliberately targeting books critical of a certain country's policies for systematic excoriation based on the almost propagandist bias in "A Reader's" views.

Zionism begone! (8/9 people found this helpful)

This isn't a five star book. It isn't a one star book either. I'm voting it this high because of the rabid zionists that have voted it so low. These people support illegal occupation, house demolitions, torture, genocide, and much more. This book exposes their lies and hatred, which is why they rated it as they did. The fact that they're so disturbed by it is all the more reason to buy this and learn from it.

Provoking (5/7 people found this helpful)

This is an interesting and fresh summary critiquing some of the historical works on Israel/Palestine and Finkelstein’s eloquent style is convincing. Finkelstein makes some interesting points regarding Benny Morris and does display some flaws in the conclusions made by Morris – but I’d advise any serious reader to read Efraim Karsh’s Fabricating Israeli history: the New Historians alongside Finkelstein to consider these criticisms of Morris differently. Morris has provided regarding 1948 landmark evidence and Finkelstein doesn’t question this, he mainly disputes the conclusions that Morris makes. Karsh scrutinises the actual evidence of Morris. Both Karsh and Finkelstein should however as two extremely contrasting critics of Morris be read alongside Morris.

Finkelstein’s rebuttal of Joan Peters work From Time Immemorial is impressive and accurate, although Finkelstein does show that Peters fraudulently portrayed evidence I don’t believe Finkelstein or indeed anyone has succeeded in completely disproving the backbone of her thesis.

This is a good book although it doesn’t provide the multipurpose endorsement of a one-sided Palestinian interpretation of this history that Palestinian political activists seem to think it does. Finkelstein does discredit the traditional one-sided Israeli history but he doesn’t disprove it entirely. From anyone seeking a balanced view with an open mind they will conclude from the complex history of this region that one side cannot be blamed in its entirety. It’s fortunate that Finkelstein has recognised the flaws of Israeli history which makes it all the more unfortunate that he as an individual embraces the propagandistic Arab version of events.

The research fits the agenda (17/37 people found this helpful)

The best thing I can say about this book is that it is well written. Finkelstein approaches his analysis with a definite agenda, and never loses his focus. His analysis of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters seems objective but since I haven't read Peters yet, I'm probably not the best judge. It seems that all too often, rather than looking to actual historical events for substantiating his thesis, he often resorts to whatever random quotes of Zionist theory (sometimes quite obscure) that happen to fit his argument. If he focused more on what people actually did rather than what some people said, his task of dispelling Zionist "myths" would be much more challenging. One should not touch this book with a ten-foot pole without having read a more comprehensive historical text such as Howard Sachar's A History of Israel.

Let's get some facts straight here . . . (61/70 people found this helpful)

First of all, I'd like to say that this book is not without bias. History texts, especially in regard to this conflict, rarely represent both sides equally. However, it is quite possible for both "Arabists" and their Israeli counterparts to agree on some basic points. First, Palestine was not "depopulated" in 1850 - it was an area governed by the Ottoman Empire with a population somewhere in the neighborhood of 450,000, mostly Arabs. Approximately 25,000 Jews lived there at that time. Second, in regard to expulsion, Israelis will argue that the Arabs left at the behest of the Jordanian or Egyptian governments. That has never been substantiated, and the idea that they left simply because someone told them to is also utterly ridiculous. Why would someone just get up and leave EVERYTHING behind? It was because of the threat of Israeli aggression - and their departure prior to seeing a soldier could be called prudent. Better to flee than be shot. The idea that the Israeli Irgun and Haganah had nothing to do with the Palestinians leaving is the sign of a misinformed and delusional viewpoint on history. Third, the size of the police force agreed to in the Oslo peace agreement is woefully insufficient. If Israel continues to demand security for peace, the only way for the Palestinian Arabs to actually meet that demand is to recruit and train a police force sufficient to enforce the law. When the Arabs finally have their independence, then perhaps they might start working on building roads. Right now, paying for roads would only facilitate the destruction of Palestinian homes by Israeli tanks and bulldozers. And finally, the quarrel over historical points is very important. How else are people to wade through the vast amounts of propaganda circulated by both sides? Without an understanding of the past, how can one ever formulate an informed and effective foreign policy? Oftentimes, those who fear history wish others would place less emphasis upon it - perhaps the Israelis would even like to simply rewrite history completely. Finkelstein certainly offers a particular point of view of the past, one that is colored in some ways. However, it is a useful text, and it deals with many interesting ideas. Anyone interested in the history of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict would do well to use this book as a PART of their study. It is not an all-encompassing read, but you'll not find that anywhere.

Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Norman G. Finkelstein

Reader Reviews:

Something fishy ... (1/4 people found this helpful)

Zionism begone! (8/9 people found this helpful)

Provoking (5/7 people found this helpful)

The research fits the agenda (17/37 people found this helpful)

Let's get some facts straight here . . . (61/70 people found this helpful)

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