'An epic tale . . . told relentlessly well. If you want to read a serious account of the price of Zionism, and a sobering review of Israel's new role as conqueror and occupier, then Hirst is your man.' Christopher Hitchens
A myth-breaking general history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, The Gun and the Olive Branch traces events all the way back to the 1880s to show how Arab violence, although often cruel and fanatical, is a response to repeated aggression.
Banned from six Arab countries, kidnapped twice, David Hirst, former Middle East correspondent of the Guardian, is the ideal chronicler of this terrible and seemingly insoluble conflict. The new edition of this 'definitive' (Irish Times) study brings the story up to date.
Among the many topics that are examined through Hirst's insightful analysis are: the Oslo peace process, the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the destabilising effect of Jewish settlements in the territories, the second Intifada and the terrifying rise of suicide bombers, the increasing influence of the Israel lobby - Jewish and Christian fundamentalists - in the United States, the growth of dissent within Israel and among sections of America's Jewish community, the showdown between Sharon and Arafat, and the threat of nuclear catastrophe that could destroy the region.
'[Hirst's] exceptional reporting has earned him curses, expulsion, and respect in virtually every country in the region.' Guardian
Pages: 624, Dimensions: 13.4x13.4cm
