Description

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If you have ever wondered “Why is there so much violence in the Middle East?”, “Who are the Palestinians?”, “What are the occupied territories?” or “What does Israel want?”, then this is the book for you. With straightforward language, Phyllis Bennis, longtime analyst of the region, answers basic questions about Israel and Israelis, Palestine and Palestinians, the US and the Middle East, Zionism and anti-Semitism; about complex issues ranging from the Oslo peace process to the election of Hamas to the Goldstone Report and the Palestinians’ UN initiatives. Together her answers provide a comprehensive understanding of the longstanding Palestinian–Israeli conflict. This new edition includes sections on the continuing settlement crisis, the UN statehood bid and UNESCO, Palestine in the Arab Spring, BDS and the Palestinian nonviolent movements, the Israeli elections, and what’s ahead. Sections include: The Crisis; The Other Players: The Role of the US, the UN, the Arab States, and Europe; Recent History: Rising Violence; Looking Backward (1900-1991); The Future.

About the Author

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Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies and of the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam. She writes and speaks widely on US wars and foreign policy and is the author of numerous books including, Understanding ISIS and The New Global War on Terror and Before & After: US Foreign Policy and the War on Terror. She plays a leading role in US and global movements against wars and occupation.

Praise For…

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"This balanced and highly useful ??primer' presents in question-and-answer form extensive explanations of recent events in the Israeli-Palestinian struggle. It explains both sides' needs and actions, the recent surge in violence, and the roles of the United States, the United Nations, the Arab States, and Europe. An essential volume by an experienced scholar and analyst at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC."

"In her compact, concise, and highly useful guide, Bennis... explains various aspects of the longstanding conflict between the Palestinians and Israel... This is an excellent addition to any Middle East collection."

"Bennis (Institute for Policy Studies) utilizes a question and answer format in order to provide a well-informed and, considering its brevity, surprisingly detailed primer on Israeli-Palestinian history and politics for an American audience seeking to understand US policy in the region ' All but the most expert will likely learn something and the neophyte will greatly benefit in understanding by reading this book"