Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid

Gives a good overview of Arab-Israeli relations since 1948 with an emphasis crucial barriers to peace. The first book written by a prominent figure to focus on the suffering of the Palestinians.

I bought the audio version of this book read by the author himself. I have to say I am very impressed and shocked at the same time as this is the first time I heard a prominent US figure narrates the truth, with fairness and long overdue recognition of the conflict as it stands - without the usual spins we are accustomed to hearing in the mainstream media. I was deeply saddened to learn about the plight of the Palestinians. I couldn't help but imagine myself and my family having to live through the brutal military occupation that the Palestinians have endeavored for several decades. I wonder how long will they be considered expendable by the international community.

Why there is this malicious intent of not implementing UN resolution 242 and forever changing the "facts on the ground" ? Why is it too unsettling to compensate the victims for decades worth of suffering or grant them right to return to their homeland from where they were driven out? Since when a "modern day democracy" started meaning "only for one ethnicity"? Why is it not considered the worst form of racism when we plunder resources of indigenous people, deprive them and indulge ourselves?

As human beings, we need to have one standard of justice for everyone, Palestinian, Jew or anyone else for that matter. I wish the world leaders honestly understand the basic premise that true and long lasting peace can only be achieved when everyone is treated with fairness and justice - Peace is not absence of violence but presence of justice for all.

After reading this great book, by a great man, you will see the Israel that has evaded scrutiny since its creation. It should be subtitled "Israel Exposed!" Highly recommended! Free Palestine!

Former President Carter understands that the Palestinian Arabs are suffering. However, the majority of the suffering stems from the Arab countries who have kept the Palestinians locked in camps for 40 years and kept out of the Arab cities (and countries) so that they could be used as a political football. He glosses over the Jew hatred by the Palestinians and Arab leadership and tries to lay the blame for the Mideast peace failuires at the feet of the Israelis. While the Israelis made peace with Egypt decades ago, the Egyptian press, government and people have continued to hate Jews and accuse this tiny minority of everything from controlling the world economy to trying to conquer the entire Arab world.
Israel withdrew from Lebanon and was thanked with Hizbollah bombs; Israel withdrew from Gaza and was thanked with Hamas bombs. President Carter cannot get beyond his own prejudices to fairly deal with this subject. The book is either extremely naive or misplaced propoganda.

In this book, Carter succeeded in transparently describing the middle-east crisis through his personal experience, while avoiding hypocrisy and bias. Thus, the text presents an objective and highly ordered presentation of a very misinterpreted reality...