Book on Israeli/Palestinian situation (esp for Percy)

Percy and I have had plenty of arguments on Isreal/Palestine. He has painted my position as extremist and cast stones at some of my claims regarding how Israel was created. In making his remarks he has cited only one book (and then some website material).I just found a book which could be perfect for Percy to put his other book (and whatever those web sources are) into an accurate perspective based on how Israel was created... and why its very inception caused problems. It would also work as a nice resource for anyone else unsure about where this whole mess started.What's wonderful is that it is written by both a pro-Israel Jew and an anti-Israel Arab. Neither of them are rabid, but try to make a moral case for their position based on the facts (so not very much he said/she said).A review of this book:
The Palestine-Israeli Conflict: A Beginner's Guide
by Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Dawoud El-Alami. Published by Oneworld Publicationscan be found at:
http://atheism.about.com/...s/full/aafprPalestineIsraeli.htmWhen I found the review I was happy to note that it included support for all of my claims regarding the formation of Israel (by Briton as a gift to Jews).It also contains a clip from the Arab co-author which does a smash up job of explaining why I think the creation of Israel was immoral.The Palestine-Israeli Conflict: A Beginner's Guide
by Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Dawoud El-Alami. Published by Oneworld Publications"...the history of Jewish Palestine ended effectively in 137 CE. Until the middle of the twentieth century, there had not been a Jewish majority in Palestine since that time over eighteen hundred years ago. In a kind of international aberration one of the most significant events of the twentieth century, involving the destruction and dispersal of a settled, indigenous population, has been based on a folk memory that, however vital to the cultural identity of the Jewish people, cannot possibly have entitled them to colonize an inhabited land at the very time when the rest of the world was turning against colonialism. Traditions and beliefs may have lingered on, the yearning to "return" to a spiritual homeland may have remained through the centuries, but the hard reality of more than eighteen hundred years remains. It is inconceivable that in any other sphere of human existence an attempt might be made to turn back the clock almost two millennia."I will add that the Arab author, like myself, puts most of the blame on Britain colonialist practice and not the Jews who benefited from it.Of course one does not have to come to this conclusion (the Jewish author makes a case for Israel's morality based on how much the Jews have suffered), but at least some facts are sorted out so that we see where the question boils down to one of moral action (not disputes on facts) and which position one feels has the strongest moral power.I hope people (esp Percy) find this useful.------------------
holmes

Hi, Holmes!As you might guess from the fact that I created and maintain this website, my primary area of interest is not the Israeli/Palestinian issue. I often discuss creation/evolution in highly polarized and difficult contexts because of my deep interest in this area, but since I have no intense interest in debating the Israeli/Palestinian issue I wouldn't participate in any highly polarized discussions. I think it would be enjoyable and very informative to explore the issues in greater depth, but that doesn't seem possible with those already so strongly wedded to a specific point of view that they consider other points of view a priori wrongheaded. If you really want to mix it up with someone on this issue then I think you're barking up the wrong tree.Thanks for the book reference, but this isn't an area of interest for me. When it's in the news then I think about it, but that's about it.--Percy

Yeah, I understand the I/P thing isn't your main interest, though... ahem... I should remind you our first argument was in a thread you started on that topic.Anyhow, my book recommendation was not meant to reopen those arguments. I offer it only as suggested reading if/when you find both the time and interest to delve deeper into the I/P issue... specifically regarding the creation of Israel itself.It does not support my "ethical" position any more than it supports your own. The book is neutral on position, eliminating factual discrepencies in order to present the true heart of the ethical debate (leaving it to the reader to decide which has the stronger claim).The only thing I included in my post meant to defend my "overall" position, was pointing out that a couple facts I mentioned were indeed correct (even agreed on by Israelis defending their position) and hopefully that my ethical claims were not based on extremist principles.------------------
holmes