The list of books described below is hardly exhaustive. These are among the most readable and authoritative books on several aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict, with emphasis on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. Some of these books and a great many more - as well as videos - are available, at a discount, from The Link and the Washington Report magazines.

Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin. Original Sins: Reflections on the History of Zionism and Israel. 1992. The author argues that, as a prerequisite for peace, Israel must own up to and apologize for the expulsion of the Palestinians.

Chestin, Amir S., Hutman, Bill, and Melamed, Avi. Separate and Unequal: The Inside Story of Israeli Rule in East Jerusalem. 1999. The Israeli authors discuss harsh Israeli policies since 1967 towards Jerusalem?s Palestinian residents.

Christison, Kathleen. Perceptions of Palestine: Their Influence on US Middle East Policy. 1999 . A former CIA analyst, Christison believes the assumptions that shape US policy and public opinion are based on favorable images of Israelis and negative concepts of Palestinians.

Chomsky, Noam. The Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel and the Palestinians. 1993. Updated edition, 1999. A critical analysis of US and Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. Chomsky argues that realpolitik has dictated US support for Israel?s oppression of Palestinians, especially since 1967.

Fernea, Elizabeth Warnock, and Hocking, Mary Evelyn, eds. Israelis and Palestinians: The Struggle for Peace. 1992. A balanced history combined with profiles of Palestinian and Israeli peace activists.

Finkelstein, Norman. Image and Reality in the Israel-Palestine Conflict. 1995. A critique of both Zionist thinking and Israeli policy.

Flapan, Simha. The Birth of Israel; Myths and Realities. 1987. Israeli scholar explores and exposes Israeli propagated myths regarding Israel?s birth and subsequent peace efforts.

Gutman, Roy, and Rieff, David, eds. Crimes of War: What the Public Should Know. 1999. A look at nine recent wars, including those in the Middle East, using the framework of international humanitarian law.

Khouri, Fred J. The Arab-Israeli Dilemma. 3rd edition. 1985. Through 1985, the best history, with excellent use of United Nations documents.

Pappe, Ilan. The Making of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1947-1951. 1994. Powerful synthesis of the new Israeli historians? literature on the causes and consequences of the first Arab-Israeli war.

Quigley, John. Palestine and Israel: A Challenge to Justice. 1990. Quigley, a professor of law at Ohio State University, believes the establishment of and subsequent policies of Israel violate many aspects of international law.

Rodinson, Maxime. Israel: A Colonial Settler State? 1973. Author argues that Arab opposition to Israel (and Zionism) is the opposition of a colonized people towards their colonizers.

Rosenwasser, Penny. Voices from a Promised Land. 1992. Interviews with Israeli and Palestinian peace activists.

Shipler, David K. Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land. 1986. Former New York Times correspondent in Jerusalem looks at interactions between Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews.

Smith, Charles D. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict. 1988. Balanced coverage, emphasizing the period prior to 1948 as well as the years following the birth of Israel.

Tessler, Mark. A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. 1994. Comprehensive history from earliest times through the Oslo Accords.

Copyright © 2005 Search for Justice and Equality in Palestine/Israel