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This is a measured but relentless assessment of the long struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. Neumann - the son of German Jewish refugees - argues that Zionism was responsible for the Middle East conflict, and that Israel is responsible for its perpetuation. He emphasises the fateful Zionist quest for Jewish sovereignty in Palestine, a quest that made violence inevitable and compromise impossible.
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THIS ESSAY SEEKS TO LAY OUT A COMPREHENSIVE CASE AGAINST Israel; that is, to argue that Israel is, generally speaking, in the wrong in its conflict with Palestinians. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
THIS ESSAY SEEKS TO LAY OUT A COMPREHENSIVE CASE AGAINST Israel; that is, to argue that Israel is, generally speaking, in the wrong in its conflict with Palestinians. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
77 of 90 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Michael Neumann is a professor of philosophy at Trent University in Ontario. He writes, "I am a moral and political philosopher: if I have an expertise, it is in moral and political argument." In this brilliant book he clearly outlines the essentials of the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians. He concludes, "Israel is, generally speaking, in the wrong in its conflict with Palestinians. The Palestinians, I will claim, are generally speaking in the right."
In Part One he looks at the Zionist project and its consequences. In Part Two he examines the current situation - the occupation, the settlements, alternatives, possible Palestinian strategies, and terrorism.
He summarises Part One, "The Zionist project, as conceived and executed in the 19th and early 20th century, was entirely unjustified and could reasonably be regarded by the inhabitants of Palestine as a very serious threat, the total domination by one ethnic group of all others in the region. ... The illegitimacy of the Zionist project was the major cause of all the terror and warfare that it aroused." Zionism's "leaders literally conspired to dispossess or dominate the Palestinians. ... It was the implementation of this idea that made bloodshed in Palestine, if not inevitable, as close to it as we can expect to get. That blood is on the Zionists' hands."
The Palestinians were faced, "not with a long-standing conflict between two established populations, but with an invasion conceived and executed by a political movement. No one is morally required to compromise with an invasion. ... Any population may defend itself against the threat of an externally imposed sovereignty."
In Part Two, he argues, "Sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, there was a fundamental change in the situation .... Israel's existence became as secure as any state has a right to expect. Its settlement policy was not defensive but a form of ethnic warfare, and, therefore, outrageously wrong. The Palestinians were justified in claiming that once again some sort of violent response was not only permissible, but necessary. Moreover, all this holds regardless of whether the previous arguments hold: regardless of whether the Zionist project was justified."
The Palestinians have no alternative to fighting for survival, but Israel has an alternative - unilateral withdrawal from the Occupied Territories. Neumann points out, "Its willful and pointless rejection of that alternative places Israel decisively in the wrong. ... since Israel can withdraw at will and close its border, Israel can put an end to virtually all the violence. That violence is occasioned by the settlement policy, which is Israel's sole reason for the occupation. Since that occupation has no defensive or strategic rationale, Israel has no good reason to prolong it. Since Israel is willfully pursuing an unjustifiable strategy that it can end at no cost, it is responsible for all the consequences of that strategy. It follows that all the violence, and all horrors of the occupation, are to be laid at Israel's doorstep."
In Part One he looks at the Zionist project and its consequences. In Part Two he examines the current situation - the occupation, the settlements, alternatives, possible Palestinian strategies, and terrorism.
He summarises Part One, "The Zionist project, as conceived and executed in the 19th and early 20th century, was entirely unjustified and could reasonably be regarded by the inhabitants of Palestine as a very serious threat, the total domination by one ethnic group of all others in the region. ... The illegitimacy of the Zionist project was the major cause of all the terror and warfare that it aroused." Zionism's "leaders literally conspired to dispossess or dominate the Palestinians. ... It was the implementation of this idea that made bloodshed in Palestine, if not inevitable, as close to it as we can expect to get. That blood is on the Zionists' hands."
The Palestinians were faced, "not with a long-standing conflict between two established populations, but with an invasion conceived and executed by a political movement. No one is morally required to compromise with an invasion. ... Any population may defend itself against the threat of an externally imposed sovereignty."
In Part Two, he argues, "Sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, there was a fundamental change in the situation .... Israel's existence became as secure as any state has a right to expect. Its settlement policy was not defensive but a form of ethnic warfare, and, therefore, outrageously wrong. The Palestinians were justified in claiming that once again some sort of violent response was not only permissible, but necessary. Moreover, all this holds regardless of whether the previous arguments hold: regardless of whether the Zionist project was justified."
The Palestinians have no alternative to fighting for survival, but Israel has an alternative - unilateral withdrawal from the Occupied Territories. Neumann points out, "Its willful and pointless rejection of that alternative places Israel decisively in the wrong. ... since Israel can withdraw at will and close its border, Israel can put an end to virtually all the violence. That violence is occasioned by the settlement policy, which is Israel's sole reason for the occupation. Since that occupation has no defensive or strategic rationale, Israel has no good reason to prolong it. Since Israel is willfully pursuing an unjustifiable strategy that it can end at no cost, it is responsible for all the consequences of that strategy. It follows that all the violence, and all horrors of the occupation, are to be laid at Israel's doorstep."
43 of 53 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A brilliant book. A forensic analysis of the Israel/Palestinian conflict from a moral and ethical standpoint from the origins of Zionism to the present day. The author sets out his reasoning with the utmost clarity, both in the language used - which is extremely accessible and at no time beyond the average reader - and in the organisation of his argument. Do not be put off by the title - Neumann is scrupulously fair to both sides. There is no better exposition of the issues in this troubled region than this book. And setting aside the specific circumstances of the Middle East, this book would also be a good read for anyone with a general interest in moral and political philosophy.
49 of 61 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a moral critique of the Israel / Palestine conflict this text is a resounding success.
By carefully and systematically analysing the moral argument and position of the various stages in the development of the Zionist project and the current situation, the author manages to brilliantly expose the fallacies surrounding Israel's supposed moral justifications for their past and current actions. By carefully demonstrating factual evidence with regard to early 20th century Zionists, he shows how the project was systematically planned with full knowledge and acceptance of the somewhat inevitable consequences to the indigenous population....a foreseeable prelude to the current situation.
What is most striking is that throughout his consideration of the past and current affairs regarding the troubled region, the author - in my opinion - maintains a great level of integrity and avoids emotional critique, instead focusing on a reasoned breakdown of the various scenarios, arguments and developments considered; bringing the reader to a rational and - arguably - unavoidable conclusion. That conclusion, in the vast main, being that Israel was and is in the wrong - both by international law and (arguably) even more importantly, from a moral perspective. In the crude but not incorrect question of "right and wrong", the arguments presented are difficult to counter. Ones not rooted in abstract philosophical thought as his critics may clamour to claim, but firmly grounded in analytical, fair and ethical reasoning.
This text is a brilliant expose of the historical and present injustices meted out against a largely defenceless population over a sustained period; a unique look and consideration of the ACTUAL options that this population had/has in response/self-defence and an extremely well reasoned, unemotional, unbiased analysis of the moral argument of both sides.(As a Jew himself, the author caveats his text that, if anything, his bias lies in favour of Israel). An impressive and somewhat unique approach to a subject clouded in misinformation, bias and propaganda.
An essential read.
By carefully and systematically analysing the moral argument and position of the various stages in the development of the Zionist project and the current situation, the author manages to brilliantly expose the fallacies surrounding Israel's supposed moral justifications for their past and current actions. By carefully demonstrating factual evidence with regard to early 20th century Zionists, he shows how the project was systematically planned with full knowledge and acceptance of the somewhat inevitable consequences to the indigenous population....a foreseeable prelude to the current situation.
What is most striking is that throughout his consideration of the past and current affairs regarding the troubled region, the author - in my opinion - maintains a great level of integrity and avoids emotional critique, instead focusing on a reasoned breakdown of the various scenarios, arguments and developments considered; bringing the reader to a rational and - arguably - unavoidable conclusion. That conclusion, in the vast main, being that Israel was and is in the wrong - both by international law and (arguably) even more importantly, from a moral perspective. In the crude but not incorrect question of "right and wrong", the arguments presented are difficult to counter. Ones not rooted in abstract philosophical thought as his critics may clamour to claim, but firmly grounded in analytical, fair and ethical reasoning.
This text is a brilliant expose of the historical and present injustices meted out against a largely defenceless population over a sustained period; a unique look and consideration of the ACTUAL options that this population had/has in response/self-defence and an extremely well reasoned, unemotional, unbiased analysis of the moral argument of both sides.(As a Jew himself, the author caveats his text that, if anything, his bias lies in favour of Israel). An impressive and somewhat unique approach to a subject clouded in misinformation, bias and propaganda.
An essential read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
What a farce!
The title of this book alone is an afront to humanity, Hitler could have written this book and called it "The case against Jews", It's a twisted view of factual reality that... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Mr. P. Sheaf
Treads a hackneyed path demonizing Israel
A book full of lies such as zionism having set out to dispossess palestinian arabs of 'their' land. The fact is there were around half a million arabs in the Land of Israel at the... Read more
Published 19 days ago by "If i forget thee Jerusalem...."
There is no right and no wrong!
I am sorry but there is no right and no wrong when it comes to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Both sides have made mistakes and both sides were guided and influenced by outside... Read more
Published 28 days ago by Susan
Logical and enlightening
I think it is critical to point out to would be readers of this book, that it is not in any way antisemitic. Read more
Published on 24 Jun 2008 by Shamblesmaybe
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