The Israel/Palestine Reader

Introduction to any complex international conflict is enriched when the voices of the adversaries are heard. The Israel/Palestine Reader is an innovative collection focused on the human dimension of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian confrontation. Its rich and illuminating primary readings present the voices of the diverse parties through personal testimonies and analyses. Key leaders, literary figures, prominent analysts, and simply close observers of different phases of this protracted conflict are all represented - in their own words.

From Mark Twain to Theodor Herzl, Gamal Abdul Nasser, Golda Meir, Anwar Sadat, Ezer Weizman, Ehud Barak, Marwan Barghouti, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kerry, and dozens of others, the first-hand narratives brought together in this Reader bring the conflict to life as seen by those closest to it. Though structured to complement Alan Dowty's introductory text Israel/Palestine (4th edition, Polity 2017), this Reader also stands on its own as a survey of "voices" in the conflict. Each of its ten chapters is framed by an editorial introduction which sets the pieces in context. By juxtaposing contrasting viewpoints, both between and within the opposed parties, the drama of the conflict is underlined while final judgment is left to the reader. This lively little volume will add color and texture to any study of Arab-Israeli issues or of the Middle East generally.

Alan Dowty is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Senior Associate for Middle East Studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame.