On May 14, 1948, World Zionist Organization executive head David Ben Gurion (1886-1973) proclaimed the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, formally establishing a Jewish state. To Zionists, the accomplishment was the fruit of their labors, but in Washington, D.C., there was cause for concern. Officials in the State Department witnesses one of their greatest fears come true and accepted the reality that the Middle East would never be the same again. It is easy to make the mistake of believing that the term Jewish is monolithic, but the reality is far different. In fact, as this book shows, within Judaism there are sharp divisions over faith, identity, and ideology. A hotly contested issue is Zionism, the driving force behind the creation of a Jewish state as envisioned by Austrian Jewish journalist Theodore Herzl (1860-1904), who is considered to be the father of Zionism. American foreign policy makers understood that the changes to come in Palestine would not be warmly welcomed and would inflame tensions between the new settlers and Palestinians who called the area home. With hindsight, we know that they were eventually overruled and today, conditions in the region remain tense. If officials knew this would happen, then why did they agree to the partition? Author Alison Weir traveled to Israeli and Palestinian territories as part of her research into one of the most important questions of the twentieth century.
As per the author’s words, the book originally started as an article that evolved into the larger story presented here. By no means is the book a complete discussion of the Zionist movement or the creation of Israel. Both subjects are far too extensive and intricate to cover in one book. But Weir does provide the right amount of information to peel back the layers of a story hidden from the American public. It cannot be overstated how crucial World War II was to the creation of Israel. Jews who had the means available fled Germany before the war. Those left behind faced an uncertain future that included a horrific death for millions of men, women, and children. Jews who survived were determined to never let it happen again. The Zionist cause has existed far longer than World War II. In fact, the location for a Jewish state changed more than once as detailed in the book. However, the movement initially struggled to gain the support of American Jews, highlighting the divisions that existed.
The situation in the Gaza strip is the end result of the story at hand. But there is a darker aspect of the account to be found within that challenges the idea that I am my brother’s keeper. What Weir reveals is both shocking and disturbing. To those in power, the means justified the ends, but the revelations also reveal sobering truths about Israel’s creation. And the interactions with officials of the Third Reich are sure to make the hairs on your neck stand up. Further, the support for the Zionist cause here in America is examined and here we see the origins of groups committed to the cause of a Jewish state. Yet even as the movement gains momentum, Washington is still hesitant to support partition for reasons addressed by the author. However, President Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) eventually reverses course and supports the partition. An explanation is given but I suspect there is more to his decision we may never know. Truman was a seasoned president by that time and would have known the political impact of partitioning and the pushback from the Arab world. If he did not, I am sure the Joint Chiefs of Staff would have addressed it due to their concerns revealed in the book. Truman may have agreed to the plan against his better judgment as well.
Every movement has collateral damage, and the Zionist cause is no different. Non-Zionist Jews found themselves caught in a difficult position and the pressures they faced also form part of the discussion. And others who were receptive to the Zionist cause but also cautious about the reputation of America abroad and stability in the Middle East also found themselves under scrutiny as allegiance to the movement was questioned. The debate about Zionism is larger than this book but continues to this day among Jews. I should point out that at no point in the book does Weir challenge the right of Israel to exist. The book is a lesson in history that is not taught in schools. History is not always pleasant and filled with stories that are at times unsettling. But they are crucial to understanding how our world functions today.
The book is short, but the author does provide an extensive list of further reading which includes discussions on Israel, Zionism, and the Palestinian people. This is the not the final word on Zionism, but it is a good place to start.
ASIN: B00J0LXYLM
On July 7, 2014, Israeli began a full scale assault on the Gaza Strip, a self-governing Palestinian territory. the assault claimed the lives of more than 1,600 men, women and children. The conflict was a culmination of long-simmering tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. The Israeli government has made it clear that it wants Hamas to recognize its right to exist. Hamas has called for a Palestinian state on the land it believes belongs to the Palestinian people. Multiple foreign governments have made an attempt to mediate the dispute, most notably Egypt. The role of the United States has generally been in support of its ally Israel. The vicious assault was captured and uploaded by Palestinians to such sites as Twitter and Facebook. The images on social media only tell part of the story of the realities faced by the Palestinians who found themselves under siege and facing an opponent superior in both weapons and finances. The full story of what was happening inside the Gaza Strip is a much darker and tragic story, revealed here as the Palestinians are given a platform to the break the silence surrounding their experiences under occupation.
I still remember the video footage taken during the live testimony of Lt. Col. Oliver North (Ret.), as Congress sought to unravel interconnected covert operations that revolved around Iran, Israel and Nicaragua. North appeared on television in full military dress, earing the sympathy and admiration of a large segment of American citizens. There were some who felt he should have been incarcerated and that his actions were a dishonor to the very uniform he had on. Regrettably, his testimony did little to help fully understand what had really taken place. And even my father who follows politics and news religiously did not fully understand what had taken place. Wh
The title alone is enough to grab a person’s attention. Because of the subject matter, it was bound to stir controversy for it touches a topic that remains taboo thirty-seven years after its publication. And with the events this past week regarding the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, the contents of this book are as important now as they were then. Before you attempt to read this book, it is critical to understand the difference between Judaism and what is referred to as Zionism. There is a fundamental difference between the two that is often forgotten as charges of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias are leveled against those who dare to speak out. However, what I have learned from this book, is critical to understanding how our world functions and why peace is seemingly an impossible objective to accomplish in the Middle East.
Ideology is sometimes as powerful of a tool as violence and in some cases has been the direct cause of violence. In the Middle East, ideology has maintain a stronghold as it finds itself on a crash course with modernity. Those who live outside the Middle East are at times confused and mystified by the traditions and events that occur throughout the Arab nations. In fact, many of us here in the United States do not know how the modern-day Middle East came into existence. To them, I say that the key to understanding the Middle East is to retrace its history to see why and how it developed into what we know it to be today. David Fromkin lends us a helping hand in this incredible historical investigative account of the fall of the legendary Ottoman Empire and the creation of a region that would never truly know peace.
The crisis that exists between Israel and the area that was once the nation of Palestine has evolved into one of the most tragic the world has seen. Anger on both sides and the failure of mediation on more than one occasion has resulted in the continuation of the long feud. Each side has its supporters and detractors refusing to abandon their beliefs and stance of the matter. My interest in the conflict propelled me to acquire this high recommended book on the issue written by Israel historian and social activist, Ilan Pappe (1954-). Pappe was born in Haifa and continues to educate millions about the true origins of the raging battle. This phenomenal account of the history of Palestine and its current day status is a must read by anyone seeking to understand the origins of the matter. To be fair, Pappe is not anti-Israel, but he does however, confront many facts about the history of Palestine that are often very uncomfortable. But any good researcher should do just that and it is in this area that Pappe shines through.
FREETHINKING BIBLIOPHILE 
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