A Book and Opposing Opinions

US president’s choice upon departure from a Massachusetts’ book store recently was, “The Hundred- Year War on Palestine: A History of Colonialism and resistance, 1917-2017.” Its author is the renowned Rashid Khalidi, a professor at Columbia University.

Nisan Tzur addressed Joe Biden’s Christmas gift on Nov. 30, 2024. In the given book, Khalidi accuses Israel of occupying and imposing a “colonial regime” on the “Palestinians”.

“The modern history of ‘Palestine’ can best be understood in these terms: a colonial war waged against the indigenous population by a variety of participants, to force them to relinquish their homeland against their will for another people,” says Khalidi.

The subject author, of ‘Palestinian’ and Lebanese descent, also accuses former President Donald Trump of serving as a ‘megaphone’ for Israel and PM Netanyahu of leading ‘the most extreme government in Israel’s history’ and additionally refers to the Oct. 7 massacre, accusing Israel of “ethnic cleansing.”

The NY Post contacted Khalidi to obtain a comment on the fact that the President had decided to purchase his book. “I don’t talk to the Post, so it’s not for publication, but my response is that it’s 4 years too late.”

Khalidi traces a hundred years of colonial war on the ‘Palestinians’, waged 1st by the Zionist movement and then Israel, but backed by Britain and the United States, the great powers of the age. He highlights the key episodes in the colonial campaign, from 1917 Balfour Declaration to the ‘destruction’ of ‘Palestine’ in 1948, from Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon to the endless and futile peace process. What “destruction of Palestine” in 1948 ?

Israeli historian and self-proclaimed Zionist Benny Morris has described the book as “simply poor history”. Morris has criticized the book for what he argues is an oversimplification of the conflict [including minimizing the role of ‘Palestinian’ political violence], distortion of the role played by Western powers, and portrayal of Zionism as a ‘colonialist enterprise’ as opposed to a national movement itself.

On the other hand, Khalidi makes the argument that ‘Palestinians’ have been victimized since the early 1900s. How does this relate to the violence and terrorism that ‘Palestinians’ have carried out over the past century? He rarely mentions violence and terrorism, except in the later pages when he criticizes the suicide- bombers of Hamas and other ‘Palestinian’ groups, mainly as a bad strategy.

Even when he mentions violence and terrorism, Khalidi argues that Israel always did much worse and that Israel was an oppressor with a highly skilled military and a bully.

For Khalidi, ‘Palestine has been colonized by Zionists with the help of world powers –Great Britain 1st and then the United States—and they have been treated like non-people. So much so that in his conclusion, he argues that there are strong comparisons between the ways Native Americans were treated by the colonial powers and by the newly minted US and the treatment of ‘Palestinians.’

Khalid’s personal experiences during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and the seven-week siege of West Beirut in summer 1982 are among the most harrowing sections of the book. Israel sought to root out the PLO from Lebanon and quell rising nationalism in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

Khalidi reminds us that the grisly massacres of ‘Palestinian’ refugees in the Sabra and Shatila camps were not the only ones, nor was the ‘Palestinian’ leadership exempt from responsibility for what happened. He makes not mention that Israel was not physically involved.

Peter Bartu’s review of the subject book informs us that it was in Tunis where Khalidi developed the ideas for ‘Under Siege’, his book on PLO decision-making during the 1982 War. Khalidi ends this book with some sage advice, perhaps directed at the next generation of ‘Palestinians.’

The main argument revolves around the ‘Palestinians’: whereas for most of the world, the Nakba is perceived as a singular event, for the ‘Palestinian’ people it is an ongoing event to be understood as a colonial war waged against the ‘indigenous population’, by a variety of parties, forcing them to flee from their homeland. Indigenous, how misleading! A study of Temple Times makes reference to Jews, Romans and Greeks without any recognition of ‘‘Palestinians’!!

The subject book is Rashid Khalid’s 8th book on the Middle East and his most self reflective engagement yet. Scholars from a range of disciplines will find it useful, as will the general reader. It will also appeal to readers beyond those interested in Israel-Palestine, for its perspective on lived history, from inside the resistance.

Following on Nisan Tzur, Benny Moriss and Peter Bartu, with the Israeli-‘Palestine’ conflict as its central theme, this book deals with subjects such as Zionism, ‘Palestinians’, violence, war, refugees, world politics, and Israeli and ‘Palestinian’ politics, focusing mostly on how this has been experienced by the ‘Palestinians’.

The main argument of this book revolves around the latter: where for most of the world, the Nakba is perceived as a singular event, for the ‘Palestinian’ people it is an ongoing event, to be understood as a colonial war waged against the ‘indigenous’ population, by a variety of parties, forcing them to flee from their homeland.

‘Palestinian’ politics are highlighted, explaining how different groups rose, fragmented and where they lacked, leading to all sorts of complications such as the failed peace negotiations in Madrid and Oslo.

The level at which the author has romanticized ‘Palestine’ and demonized Israel is making the work seem untrustworthy and the history less authoritative. The author does not seem to condemn any violence that comes from the ‘Palestinians’, even going as far as praising the ‘masterminds’ behind certain terroristic attacks.

A further point of criticism that can be made is the lack of structure of this book. It is difficult to find the arguments or the main points the author wants to make in the 6 chapters, each representing a declaration of war.

Summary; and Study Guide.

The colonial approach stands in opposition to values of equality, justice, and democracy, which is why the complete colonization of ‘Palestine’ has so far failed. Attempts at colonizing ‘Palestine’ came at a time of decolonization.

Khalididi’s goal is to show readers that the century-long conflict is rooted in colonial decisions made by the Zionist movement with backing from superpowers [Great Britain and the US] and regional [other Arab countries] and local [‘Palestinian leadership] players. He also demonstrates the resiliency and agency of ‘Palestinian’ people in the face of insurmountable challenges and systemic discrimination.

While he finds that the situation ‘Palestinians’ are facing today more dire than ever before he remains hopeful that both ‘Palestinians’ and Israelis can work together to achieve long-lasting peace and security.

The source text and this guide discuss themes relating to ethnic cleansing, war crimes, the Holocaust, and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism and xenophobia. Finally, Khalidi, like other ‘Palestinians’ and Israelis, still believes that peace is possible.

He suggests that by focusing on grassroots activism, changing global perceptions, rejecting the Oslo accords in future diplomatic negotiations, and working with Israelis, ‘Palestinians’ can achieve peace and security based on equality and justice.

Perhaps the most detailed chapter in the book is what Khalidi calls the 3rd declaration of war on ‘Palestine’, namely Ariel Sharon’s invasion of Lebanon and the siege of Beirut, followed by the departure of the ‘Palestinian’ Liberation Organization [PLO] fighters to Tunisia and the ensuing massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982 [for which US guarantees to protect the safety of ‘Palestinian’ civilians proved worthless].

Ismail Raghib Al-Khalidi, Rashid’s farther, an Arab diplomat working in New York’s UN headquarters, witnessed in shock as American Jews marched and fundraised to support the Israeli occupation in 1967.

Rashid Khalidi shares his own thoughts on his Chicago University colleague, and later president Barack Obama. Perhaps the most detailed chapter in the book is what Khalidi called the 3rd declaration of war on ‘Palestine’, namely Ariel Sharon’s invasion of Lebanon and the siege of Beirut, followed by the departure of PLO fighters to Tunisia and the ensuing massacre at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982 [for which US guarantees to protect the safety of ‘Palestinian’ civilians proved worthless].

Khalidi concludes his book with the 1st and 2nd intifadas, praising the relatively unarmed 1987 uprising and criticizing the 2nd intifada of 2000 as having literally wasted all the public relations gains that ‘Palestinians’ made during the 1st Intifada.