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caitfoges's review
5.0
~ 5.0 ~
I have had the privilege of experiencing many walks in the West Bank - in the desert overlooking Jericho and the Dead Sea, around Mar Saba monastery near Bethlehem, and in the hills surrounding Ramallah. These trips are some of my favorite memories of my time in the Holy Land - the scenes of natural beauty and ancient history are truly mesmerizing. I am grateful to Palestinians who shared with me their connection to this land - their love of the olive, fig, and loquat trees; the simple joy of a campfire under desert stars; and the impressive aqueducts and stone homes built by generations past.
Yet even as a foreigner, I could feel the choking sensation of these people indigenous to the land being cut off from it by the Israeli occupation and illegal settlement enterprise. The evidence is everywhere, if you know to look... Encroaching first on the hill tops, then over huge expanses of the West Bank, are Jewish-only settlements that have annexed Palestinian land in clear violation of international law. To service these settlements, Jewish-only roads now crisscross the territory, which is dotted with Israeli military checkpoints, further restricting Palestinian's freedom of movement in their own land. The separation wall, also called the apartheid wall, snakes along the settlements and annexes even more Palestinian land, cutting off farmers from their harvests and families from one another. What is left for Palestinians are enclaved cities - essentially reservations - surrounded by hostile settlers, with ever-decreasing access to the surrounding landscape.
In this book, Shehadeh chronicles through his walks how this situation came to be, what has been lost already, and what he fears the future may hold. He filled in my gaps of understanding, particularly around the Oslo Accords of the early 90s, which he deems a failure and short-sighted surrender. As an esteemed lawyer and founder of a leading Palestinian Human Rights organization, Shehadeh offers critical legal understanding of Israel's tactics. He also reflects on his loss of hope in a legal approach to resisting the occupation, and how he has turned his focus to writing, documenting the stories of his people and land.
I have had the privilege of experiencing many walks in the West Bank - in the desert overlooking Jericho and the Dead Sea, around Mar Saba monastery near Bethlehem, and in the hills surrounding Ramallah. These trips are some of my favorite memories of my time in the Holy Land - the scenes of natural beauty and ancient history are truly mesmerizing. I am grateful to Palestinians who shared with me their connection to this land - their love of the olive, fig, and loquat trees; the simple joy of a campfire under desert stars; and the impressive aqueducts and stone homes built by generations past.
Yet even as a foreigner, I could feel the choking sensation of these people indigenous to the land being cut off from it by the Israeli occupation and illegal settlement enterprise. The evidence is everywhere, if you know to look... Encroaching first on the hill tops, then over huge expanses of the West Bank, are Jewish-only settlements that have annexed Palestinian land in clear violation of international law. To service these settlements, Jewish-only roads now crisscross the territory, which is dotted with Israeli military checkpoints, further restricting Palestinian's freedom of movement in their own land. The separation wall, also called the apartheid wall, snakes along the settlements and annexes even more Palestinian land, cutting off farmers from their harvests and families from one another. What is left for Palestinians are enclaved cities - essentially reservations - surrounded by hostile settlers, with ever-decreasing access to the surrounding landscape.
In this book, Shehadeh chronicles through his walks how this situation came to be, what has been lost already, and what he fears the future may hold. He filled in my gaps of understanding, particularly around the Oslo Accords of the early 90s, which he deems a failure and short-sighted surrender. As an esteemed lawyer and founder of a leading Palestinian Human Rights organization, Shehadeh offers critical legal understanding of Israel's tactics. He also reflects on his loss of hope in a legal approach to resisting the occupation, and how he has turned his focus to writing, documenting the stories of his people and land.
julesreadsallsorts's review
4.0
The joy of sarha - roaming the landscape without restraint and with freedom - is something I can relate to. Rambling has always been a way to connect with land and feel free. The descriptions of land, nature and history are really touching and informative, whilst the changes that have come through occupation and redrawing of lines are heartbreaking. A different perspective about the area and wider political history of the West Bank.
gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I was reading this semi concurrently with “Ten Myths About Israel” by Ilan Pappè and the difference between the two texts is polarizing, truly exemplifying the importance of reading books on the occupation of Palestinians from Palestinian voices. Through a series of walks in nature, Raja Shehadeh takes readers through a journey through the landscape of Palestine, reflecting on the constantly changing territory as a result of Israel colonization. I really enjoyed how Shehadeh would allow readers a snapshot into snippets from his life and conversations he has with his people, while also taking time to provide ample context for his experience during the occupation, noting events such as the Oslo Accords and the Antifada’s. Having seen thoughts from @gobblingupbooks on the subject, I will wholeheartedly agree that there are points where Shehadeh’s text could have benefited from a greater showing of vulnerability but otherwise I enjoyed this immensely!
_wastelandbaby's review
5.0
Zazwyczaj nie jestem fanką opisów przyrody, ale tym razem mi one nie przeszkadzały.
Opisy spacerów po zmieniającym się Palestyńskim krajobrazie są tak naprawdę okazją do rozmyślań na temat istoty tych zmian - okupacji izraelskiej na ziemiach Palestyny.
Czytając te wspomnienia nie sposób nie poczuć zachwytu nad pięknem tej krainy, ale też smutku i frustracji autora przypominającego swoje próby powstrzymywania budowy kolejnych izraelskich osiedli.
Opisy spacerów po zmieniającym się Palestyńskim krajobrazie są tak naprawdę okazją do rozmyślań na temat istoty tych zmian - okupacji izraelskiej na ziemiach Palestyny.
Czytając te wspomnienia nie sposób nie poczuć zachwytu nad pięknem tej krainy, ale też smutku i frustracji autora przypominającego swoje próby powstrzymywania budowy kolejnych izraelskich osiedli.
themshelves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
sarahjordan4's review
4.0
An intimate look into the experience of Palestinians, felt more humanizing look at their lives and struggles.