Ilan Pappe writes the story of Palestine, a land inhabited by two peoples. It begins with the Ottomans in the early 1800s and traces a path through the arrival of the early Zionists at the end of that century, through the British mandate at the beginning of the twentieth century, the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, and the subsequent wars and conflicts which culminated in the intifadas of 1987 and 2000. While these events provide the background to the narrative and explain the construction of Zionist and Palestinian nationalism, at centre stage are those who lived through these times, men, women and children, Jews and Arabs. It is a story of coexistence, as well as oppression, occupation, and exile. Ilan Pappe is well-known as a revisionist historian of Israel. Lucid and typically forthright, his account is a unique contribution to the history of this troubled land.
(Request from Framingham Public, Hollistan, Maynard, Westwood)

Israel's Moment is a major new account of how a Jewish state came to be forged in the shadow of World War Two and the Holocaust and the onset of the Cold War. Drawing on new research in government, public and private archives, Jeffrey Herf exposes the political realities that underpinned support for and opposition to Zionist aspirations in Palestine. In an unprecedented international account, he explores the role of the United States, the Arab States, the Palestine Arabs, the Zionists, and key European governments from Britain and France to the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Poland. His findings reveal a spectrum of support and opposition that stood in sharp contrast to the political coordinates that emerged during the Cold War, shedding new light on how and why the state of Israel was established in 1948 and challenging conventional associations of left and right, imperialism and anti-imperialism, and racism and anti-racism.
(Request from Needham or Newton)

The Palestine-Israel conflict is the most notorious and ingrained conflict in living memory. Yet the way it is reported in the media is confusing and often misleading. In The Palestine-Israel Conflict, Gregory Harms and Todd M. Ferry provide an authoritative introduction to the topic. Balanced, accessible, and annotated, it covers the full history of the region from Biblical times up to the present. Perfect for both general readers and students, it offers a comprehensive yet lucid rendering of the conflict, setting it in historical context. This fourth edition brings us up to date with a new introduction, conclusion, and material covering recent events: Israel's Operation Protective Edge, the Palestinian unity deal between Fatah and Hamas, and ongoing Palestinian resistance, America's Middle East policy, and the election of Trump. ​Cutting through layers of confused and inconsistent information, this new edition of The Palestine-Israel Conflict will clarify the ongoing struggle for all readers.