THE SHORTEST HISTORY OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE BY MICHAEL SCOTT-BAUMANN

-

BOOK NAME: THE SHORTEST HISTORY OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

AUTHOR NAME: MICHAEL SCOTT-BAUMANN

GENRE: NONFICTION

PUBLISHER: PANMACMILLAN INDIA / PICADOR INDIA

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Shortest-History-Israel-Palestine-Intifadas/dp/8119300505



BOOK COVER IMAGE




QUOTE FROM THE BOOK

"Let them breathe, and they will find out that life is more beautiful than death" - Amira Hass, Haaretz journalist, when asked about the radical ways that the Gazans used against the Israeli army to show their resistance.



BOOK REVIEW

As readers, we all like to believe that we know it all, don't we? But there is always something that remains unshrouded from human minds, waiting to be discovered. When I finished this book, I had this gnawing feeling of how uninformed I was about most things regarding Israel's occupation of Palestine and the latter's retaliation and massacre. I was so ashamed of myself for not having read the history in detail before. I always thought I knew enough. But, there was plenty of new information I gained from this book that is about a battle for home between a religious nationalist, the non-combatant indigenous population and a few misled groups. This book made me realise that for any political organisation or government in the world and its leaders, "their people" are not just lives but the number of votes and pawns that can win them elections.


Anyone who is not new to world history and politics would know that the ongoing extermination of Palestinians started way more than 100 years ago. But the book begins even before the start of it all with the Roman and Ottoman Empires. The author has given a precise timeline starting from the assassination of Alexander  II to the Hamas attack that happened a few months ago. How the death of The Tsar of Russia paved the way for the Jews to leave for a 'land that was promised by God' to the effect of World War II on the Israeli settlement in Palestine - this book has every important historical information needed on this subject.


I'm afraid I have to disagree with the claim that this is a Pro-Palestinian account about Zionism and the tussle for a homeland because I feel it was a very unbiased account which included atrocities committed and the plight of victims on either side. The personal testimonials at the end of each chapter were heartbreaking and reflected the mental state of people caught in a struggle for their homeland. The book has been so brave in terms of calling out the truth for what it is - about the settler colonialism, the silence of other Arab nations for political reasons, the weak and uncoordinated Middle Eastern government, the greater nations like the US, Britain and France using the situation for their political benefit and treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. 


The number of wars and war crimes committed, the number of uprisings or Intifadas, the number of unsuccessful attempts at peace talks and the number of lives lost was exhausting, and I can only imagine living with such horror for years together. I was amazed at how so many details were packed into less than 250 pages without confusing or hurrying into the narrative. This will remain one of the most important and impactful (nonfiction) books I have read till now.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Scott-Baumann is a Cambridge University graduate with an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He has 35 years of experience as a history teacher and lecturer. He has travelled widely in the Middle East and worked as a volunteer under the auspices of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, with whom he conducted fieldwork on the West Bank. He lives in Cheltenham, England.



MY REVIEW: 5/5 

This is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa...
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them....
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had ...
Read more