Overview

The Arab-Israeli conflict goes far beyond the wars waged on Middle East battlefields. There is also a war of narratives revolving around the two defining traumas of the conflict: the Holocaust and the Nakba. One side is charged with Holocaust denial, the other with exploiting a tragedy while denying the tragedies of others. In this path-breaking book, political scientist Gilbert Achcar explores these conflicting narratives and considers their role in today's Middle East dispute. He analyzes the various Arab responses to the Holocaust, from the earliest intimations of the genocide, through the creation of Israel and the occupation of Palestine, and up to our own time, critically assessing the political and historical context for these responses. Achcar offers a unique ideological mapping of the Arab world, in the process defusing an international propaganda war that has become a major stumbling block in the path of Arab-Western understanding.

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9780863564581

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Reviews

'A fascinating, subtle and original analysis of Israeli and Arab historical narratives' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'An erudite, perceptive, and highly original study' Avi Shlaim 'The picture that emerges - is a complex and nuanced one that rewards careful reading - A refreshing and original study, showing clearly that Muslim anti-Semitism is neither universal, nor inevitable, nor subject to pat explanations.' The Economist 'A systematic and scholarly refutation of the simplistic myths that have arisen following the formation of Israel - The best book on the subject so far' Tariq Ali, The Guardian '[Achcar] carefully examines the long history of Arab-Jewish conflict back through the 19th century, illuminating the range of opinions' The Washington Post 'Achcar offers a careful parsing of a most incendiary topic: the use of references to the Holocaust in the rhetoric of the Arab-Israeli conflict - Calm and judicious in tenor yet unyielding in its intellectual rigor, this selection may show the path out of a seemingly intractable dispute.' Booklist 'Lucid and penetrating' Stephen Howe, The Independent 'Excellent' The New Statesman 'A standard reference for years to come. Scrupulous in its scholarship, firm in political principle, ruthless in exposure' Socialist Review '[The Arabs and the Holocaust is] of tremendous historical importance' Robert Fisk, The Independent

'A fascinating, subtle and original analysis of Israeli and Arab historical narratives' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'An erudite, perceptive, and highly original study' Avi Shlaim 'The picture that emerges - is a complex and nuanced one that rewards careful reading - A refreshing and original study, showing clearly that Muslim anti-Semitism is neither universal, nor inevitable, nor subject to pat explanations.' The Economist 'A systematic and scholarly refutation of the simplistic myths that have arisen following the formation of Israel - The best book on the subject so far' Tariq Ali, The Guardian '[Achcar] carefully examines the long history of Arab-Jewish conflict back through the 19th century, illuminating the range of opinions' The Washington Post 'Achcar offers a careful parsing of a most incendiary topic: the use of references to the Holocaust in the rhetoric of the Arab-Israeli conflict - Calm and judicious in tenor yet unyielding in its intellectual rigor, this selection may show the path out of a seemingly intractable dispute.' Booklist 'Lucid and penetrating' Stephen Howe, The Independent 'Excellent' The New Statesman 'A standard reference for years to come. Scrupulous in its scholarship, firm in political principle, ruthless in exposure' Socialist Review

Author Information

Gilbert Achcar is Professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is the co-author of Perilous Power: The Middle East and U.S. Foreign Policy Dailogues on Terror, Democracy, War, and Justice (with Noam Chomsky).

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