The transformation of Palestine into Israel, and the Palestinians' resistance to it, is the subject of this book. After a brief account of earlier times, James Ciment gives a clear and dispassionate reading of the historical forces and events of the 19th and 20th centuries, from the decline of the Ottomans to the current "peace process," that have resulted in the divided and often violent Palestine/Israel of today. He outlines demographic, social, economic and political profiles of the two communities; traces the evolution of their values and institutions, separately and together, over the last century; and examines the character and motivation of their leaders and the nature of their present-day politics. Finally, he considers their choices for the future. The author shows why compromise is especially difficult in this conflict, and why compromise is the only means by which the irreducible issues at its heart may be addressed. Even here, the author points out, there are choices to be made; no consequence need be inevitable.
