The Global Seminar: Israeil-Palestinian conflict

Giving a thorough and accessible account of the Palestine-Israeli conflict past, present and future, this introduction is jointly authored by an American rabbi and Professor of Judaism, and a Palestinian lecturer on Islam. The result is a real insight into the bitter truths at the heart of this situation, with each author giving full vent to the emotions behind the two sides of the debate without avoiding any issues, however confrontational and conflict-ridden. The conclusion is a direct exchange between the two authors, which raises many further issues, but which does see both sides holding out hope for resolution and a real solution in the future.

The conflict between Israelis and their forebears, on the one hand, and Palestinians and theirs, on the other, has lasted over a century and generated more than its share of commentaries and histories. James L. Gelvin's new account of that conflict offers a compelling, accessible and up-to-the-moment introduction for students and general readers. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, when the inhabitants of Ottoman Palestine and the Jews of Eastern Europe began to conceive of themselves as members of national communities, the book traces the evolution and interaction of these communities from their first encounters, through to the present, as well as exploring the external pressures and internal logic that has propelled their conflict. The book, which places events in Palestine within the framework of global history, skilfully interweaves biographical sketches, eyewitness accounts, poetry, fiction and official documentation into its narrative, and includes photographs, maps and an abundance of supplementary material.

The conflict in cultures between the Arabs and the Israelis is brought to life in the first person accounts, letters, memoirs, and stories of ordinary people caught in the strife. Against the background of the changes that have characterized that society, Goldscheider, a leading authority on the social history of Israel, examines the perspectives of both sides in the conflict and the impact that it has on the daily lives of families and individuals. Twelve primary source documents give voice to the feelings of ordinary Arabs and Jews who have experienced this conflict in their own lives. Comprehensive and engagingly written essays on the historical background of the conflict and portraits of the Arab and Jewish communities in Israel and in the diaspora will help the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the struggle that put the first person accounts in historical, social and cultural perspective. The primary documents are organized thematically into sections on ethnic clashes among Jewish immigrants, voices of the new Israeli settlers, voices of the Palestinians, and issues of identity.