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

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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

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