Ten Myths About Israel

It's written by a Jewish history professor working at the university of Exeter. Knows his stuff but is very clearly on the Palestinian side. I hoovered it up, dead interesting and well written to boot, in my view. Recommend.

Ten Myths About Israel by renowned historian Ilan Pappé is a masterclass in intellectual bravery, scholarly precision, and moral clarity. With piercing insight and unflinching honesty, Pappé dismantles the foundational myths that have long shielded Israeli policies from scrutiny and distorted the narrative surrounding Palestine.Through ten accessible yet deeply researched chapters, Pappé confronts some of the most persistent falsehoods — from the idea that Palestine was "a land without a people" to the claim that Israel is the “only democracy in the Middle East.” Each myth is unpacked with rigorous historical evidence, compelling arguments, and a profound sense of justice.What makes this book especially powerful is its refusal to sanitise history for comfort. Pappé dares to name what so many others avoid: the Nakba was not a tragic accident of war, but a deliberate campaign of ethnic cleansing. His writing cuts through the fog of propaganda and reminds readers that truth-telling is an essential act of resistance.This book is a beacon for anyone seeking clarity amid the noise, a vital tool for educators, students, activists, and anyone who refuses to be complicit in silence. With elegance and urgency, Ten Myths About Israel calls us not only to rethink what we’ve been told, but to stand firmly on the side of truth and human dignity.

So easy to understand after being fed decades of lies by the mainstream media about probably the most lied about subject.Rigorous research and puts both side - truly enlightening.

Very informative

I have already read Ilan's book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, so this seems a logical book to follow with, especially as it has been updated. Israel can be changed, but the real "belief" must come from within. Regardless, much can be done by outsiders such as the USA in forcing Israel to change.However, I do believe that the 2 separate states can be accomplished. I strongly believe that Palestine should be classified as an individual state but only if Gaza and the Left Bank are united. I would extend Gaza up the coast and inland by the same territory as the Left Bank has. Arab occupants of the Left Bank could relocate if they wished and the left Bank would then be part of Israel. The new Palestine would have its own sea territory, total autonomy, sea port, airport, etc. Israel took the land away; they can give some back.Anyway, thank you Mr. Pappe for a very interesting and thoughtful book. You are a brave man to be so critical of your own country even though you are not resident there.

Punchy precise and helpful. Says exactly what it does "on the tin"! In s time where truth is hidden and false histories and lies propagated, having clear and evidenced information is critical.As a Jewish Israeli historian, Professor Ilan Pappé is best placed to write this book without being accused of racism. I thoroughly recommend his other books, in particular the Ethnic cleansing of Palestine - a crucial book to read.

I am academically well informed regarding the history of Zionism and Palestine but I nonetheless found this book very informative in that it explains clearly how much of the western propaganda in support of Israel is, as the book's title makes clear, myth. It is also structured in an accessible and ordered way that provides the reader with a strong sense of how the appalling events occurring in Gaza and The West Bank today were inevitable. It is recommended reading for everyone who wants to understand not just the recolonalisation of Palestine by Zionist settlers but also help them to recognize that the same process, that is recolonization, in is taking place in many other nations, albeit in often (but not always) more subtle ways, only recently liberated from the colonial rule of the great powers of the nineteenth century.

There is a reason academics recommend this book. If you want historical facts, historical context, scholarly reviews and a true picture of the realities around this decades long conflict, read this book.

Ilan Pappe, a gifted historian and writer. Written in clear, easy, and concise language, it is highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding what this phenomenon called the State of Israel is.

short, easy to read, and challenges assumptions most people take for granted. A must-read for everyone.

It is essential to know the history of the Palestine-Israel conflict and the many different points of view that obscure the truth.

I consider Pappe to be a good representative of the Palestinian cause from the Israeli perspective. In this book he deals with the issue of Palestine from the perspective of an Israeli, and also from the perspective of dispelling myths that Israelis and Israeli sympathizers have. He called this book, “Ten Myths About Israel.” He brilliantly divides his book into three categories: the past Myths, the present ones, and the future ones.The first category deals with fallacies of the past. In this section, he discusses a number of myths, proving that Palestine was, indeed, a vibrant and very active place, comprised of both rural and urban communities, and with its own records, especially since it was under Ottoman rule. Palestine was also known to have a series of port cities that allowed for trade with Europe and other parts of the world. However, little did those Europeans know they were dealing with no one on the other side.He also discusses one of the most often repeated myths about Israel, which is that the Jewish people in Europe had no land. It stems from another myth, though, that the Jewish migrants from Europe were Jewish in ethnicity at all. They were not. Pappe states, “Arthur Koestler wrote The Thirteenth Tribe (1976), in which where advanced the theory that the Jewish settlers were descended from the Khazars, a Turkish nation of the Caucasus that converted to Judaism in the eighth century and was later forced to move westward.” This is a good summary of who the Jewish immigrants were. They were Europeans who wanted a moral justification for colonization. This brings us to the next point, which is that Zionism is a colonist project, not a religious one, aimed at exploitation of the land and resources of the Palestinians, all the while trying to establish their own government in that midst.He also discusses very important and relevant topics of today, such as whether or not Israel is truly a democracy. Here, he shows how the Israelis manipulate land and naturalization in order to manipulate elections. Further, he discusses the Oslo Accord and whether or not a two-state solution would work (hint: it would never work).All in all, I give the book a 9.5 out of 10, only because he could have combined a couple of chapters for readability.Buy this book and read it.

Dommage, ce livre n'est pas encore traduit, malgré tout on n'a pas besoin d'être un champion en anglais. Avec ce livre vous ne mourrez pas idiots et pourrez clouer le bec de ceux qui vous traitent d'antisémites. Même si on n'est pas complètement ignare on apprend beaucoup sur les soit disant vérités sur le passer d'Israel.