A review by orlamaude
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

5.0

I found this book to be a very well-laid out and thorough account of the modern history of Palestine, providing a well-researched and personal explanation of the plight of the Palestinian people and of the complexity of the conflict in Palestine today. 

I thought the first several chapters, covering the origins of the Zionist project in Palestine, were particularly interesting, and I found it fascinating to read the 1898 correspondence between Theodor Herzl and Yusuf Diya (mayor of Jerusalem). At times I thought the writing was a little convoluted, but the material is also definitely a bit above my head so I might have just been losing the thread lol. In general I think the author‘s arguments are clear and very convincing. Can’t fit all my thoughts into a Goodreads review 😂🥲

The conclusion’s suggestions for a future peace based on equal rights for all inhabitants of the territory of Palestine (an end precluded by the fundamental concept of the state of Israel as a Jewish state) was interesting, as well as the discussion of nationalism in the final few pages.

I don’t really feel qualified to rate the book because although I though it was really well done, I honestly feel like I didn’t understand all of it and I definitely got a little lost here and there. I’m giving it 5 stars because I learned SO much while reading it, and would absolutely recommend it to anyone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the roots and complexity of the current crisis in Gaza.