The Palestine-Israel Conflict: A Basic Introduction

Especially after the September 11 attacks, books on the Middle East are flooding bookstore shelves. Yet, regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict — the most notrious and ingrained conflict of the twentieth century — the general reader is left with very little in the way of introductory explanations. The Palestine-Israel A Basic Introduction provides the student and general reader with a comprehensive yet clear and easy rendering of not only the conflict, but the entire history of the region (Canaan and Palestine). By including the ancient background, the common assumption that the Israelis and Palestinians have been “fighting for thousands of years” is put to rest.

Broken up into three sections — Background History, Pre-Conflict, and Conflict — the reader is walked through Ancient Israel, Muhammad and Islam, and on through two world wars and up to the current situation covered on the evening news. In addition to the brief history, the
reader is also provided with further direction, such as detailed citing of sources, and suggested reading lists and resources (books, periodicals, web sites, etc.).

Written in a comfortable style, people wanting to look beyond the myths and death-tallying news coverage now have available to them a balanced and accessible introduction to the nucleus of Middle Eastern affairs.

“An indispensable, basic introduction … There is no better single volume — [this is] objective in every way.”
— Gabriel Kolko, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at York University in Toronto, and author of Another Century of War?

” Written with a relaxed informality, [this book] is especially good at highlighting key issues.”
— Arthur Goldschmidt Jr., Professor Emeritus of Middle East History at Penn State University, and author of A Concise History of the Middle East

“Comprehensive, detailed, yet lively and readable … A tour-de-force in the depth and breadth of its research and in its clarity.”
— John K. Cooley, veteran foreign correspondent, and author of Unholy Wars

About the

Gregory Harms is a freelance writer and researcher. He lectures on the
Middle East and US foreign policy, and has traveled throughout Israel,
the West Bank, and Gaza.

Todd M. Ferry studied Syro-Palestinian archaeology at the University of
Chicago and has worked as a supervisor at both the sites of Ashkelon
and Tel Beth Shemesh in Israel.

Both authors live in Chicago.