(2)The 1948 Palestine-Israel War is known to Israelis as 'The War
of Independence', but for Palestinians it will forever be the Nakba, the
`catastrophe'. Alongside the creation of the State of Israel, the end of
the war led to one of the largest forced migrations in modern history.
Around a million people were expelled from their homes at gunpoint,
civilians were massacred, and hundreds of Palestinian villages deliberately
destroyed. Though the truth about the mass expulsion has been
systematically distorted and suppressed, had it taken place in the
twenty-first century it could only have been called `ethnic cleansing'. Prominent Israeli academic Ilan Pappe argues passionately for the
international recognition of this tragedy. His groundbreaking and
controversial work sheds new light on the origins and development of the
Palestinian--Israeli conflict, asking questions that the world has so far
failed to ask to reveal the real story behind the events of 1948. Based on
meticulous research, including recently declassified Israeli archival
material, Dr. Pappe's vivid and timely account demonstrates conclusively
that `transfer' - a euphemism for ethnic cleansing - was from the start an
integral part of a carefully planned strategy, and lies at the root of
today's ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
(1)No region in the world today is more important than the Middle East: no people more misunderstood than the Arabs. In this definitive masterwork, distinguished Oxford historian Albert Hourani offers the most lucid, enlightening history ever written on the subject. From the rise of Island to the Palestinian issue, from the Prophet Mohammed to Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi. A History of the Arab Peoples chronicles the rich spiritual, political, and cultural institutions of this civilization through thirteen centuries of war, peace, literature, and religion. Lauded by authorities, encyclopedic and panoramic in its scope, here is a remarkable window on today's conflictsand on the future of a glorious and troubled land.
What is the real nature of Hamas? Since its astonishing victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections, this has become the most hotly contested question in the Middle East. How does Hamas really operate? What personalities lie beneath the black-and-green uniforms? Inside Hamas is an acclaimed account of Hamas by a world-renowned journalist with unprecedented sources within the secretive militant organization.
With almost three thousand years of history, Iran is home to one of the world's richest and most complex cultures. Yet to the average American the name Iran probably conjures up an image of a remote and upstart country inhabited by a people whose religious fanaticism is matched only by the intensity of their disdain for the United States and its values, who speak an obscure tongue called Farsi, and whose identity is not clearly distinguished from that of their Arab neighbors. This work offers an objective and engagingly written portrait of the Iranian people and their complex history from the perspective of one of the world's foremost experts on the country. It is ideal for student use and for the interested reader.
Major historian Andrew Wheatcroft reveals the full story of four centuries of Ottoman incursions into the heartlands of Europe, culminating in the momentous 1683 Siege of Vienna.
