Who is the author of The Hundred Years' War on Palestine?

Rashid Khalidi is the author of The Hundred Years' War on Palestine.

Politics

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine Book Summary - The Hundred Years' War on Palestine Book explained in key points

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Name: The Hundred Years' War on Palestine
Rating: 4.3 (396 reviews)
Author: Rashid Khalidi

Rashid Khalidi

A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017

4.3 (396 ratings)

26 mins

Brief summary

"The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid Khalidi exposes a century-long conflict between Zionists and Palestinians, showcasing how tensions and violence continue to affect the region.

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The Hundred Years' War on Palestine
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What’s in it for me? A Palestinian’s history of Palestine.

Hey, just a quick word from the content team at Blinkist. We know the history of the Middle East is a contentious subject. And we know that many of you feel strongly about this subject. We also know there are always many sides to every story. These blinks present one side. If you’re interested in another, then check the blinks to Israel. Thanks – and hope you enjoy!

For decades now, the conflict between Israel and Palestine has been a consistent feature in headlines around the world. To many, the ongoing tensions in this region appear both horribly tragic and unfathomably complicated.

While grasping a full picture of the contentious issue is difficult, it’s always valuable to learn from those closely connected to the topic. These blinks provide a thorough, well-grounded overview of Palestinian history as told from the viewpoint of Palestinians. Drawing on the work of respected academic Rashid Khalidi, this story combines archival research, primary sources, and personal accounts to piece together a compelling and accurate chronicle of Palestine from 1917 until today.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how British colonialism kick-started Israel;
where the PLO failed diplomatically; and
which movements show a promise for peace.

The colonization of Palestine was accelerated by British rule.

March 1, 1899. Yusuf Diya al-Khalidi, the mayor of Jerusalem, mails a letter to Theodor Herzl, a Viennese journalist and leader of the burgeoning Zionist movement. The missive, while just a short seven pages, proves to be extremely prescient.

In the letter, Yusuf Diya expresses his deep admiration for Herzl and his dismay at Europe’s rampant anti-Semitism; he describes Jews and Muslims as cousins. However, he also cautions against Herzl’s vision for a Jewish state in the Middle East. He points out that the Zionist project would subjugate the region’s indigenous population. He ends the letter with a plea, writing, “In the name of God, let Palestine be left alone.”

Within a month, Herzl responds. He dismisses Yusuf Diya’s concerns and argues that an influx of Europeans would improve the lives of everyone in the region.

The key message here is: The colonization of Palestine was accelerated by British rule.

For four centuries, Palestine was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. The population was about 94 percent Arab Muslim with a small minority of Jews and Christians. While the region was largely agricultural, it was slowly modernizing with railways, electricity, and improved access to education. However, this all changed in 1917 – World War I ended Ottoman rule, and the British took control of Palestine.

In November of that year, the British issued the Balfour Declaration. This statement declared the formation of a Jewish “national home” in Palestine. While the document promised to protect the civil and religious rights of the region’s non-Jewish population, it made no mention of political rights or right to national self-determination. And, just like that, the Zionist movement attained the backing of the world’s largest colonial empire.

For Palestinians, this new political reality was troubling. Just like their neighbors in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, they had developed a distinct national identity and wished to buck off the colonial grip of the European powers. From 1919 until 1928, Palestinians convened multiple congresses petitioning the British for independence. However, all these appeals fell on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, the Zionist project continued. In 1922, the League of Nations issued the Mandate for Palestine. Over the course of 28 articles, this document laid the groundwork for Jewish self-governance in the region but failed to mention the Arab majority at all. Backed by this legal framework, European Jews continued to settle the area, and their communities enjoyed almost exclusive access to foreign investment. By the late 1920s, the Jewish population of Palestine had risen to nearly 20 percent – and tensions had risen as well.

The Nakba violently forced a majority of Palestinians from their homes.

As the 1920s rolled into the 1930s, Palestine remained under British control. During this time, the Empire struggled to balance the region's competing factions. The Zionist movement continued bringing tens of thousands of settlers a year, and the Arab majority bristled against this new competition.

In 1937, the British attempted to quell tensions by partitioning the area; the Peel Commission declared that 17 percent of the region would be reserved for a Jewish state. The plan pushed Palestinians into open revolt. Over the next two years, the British violently suppressed Arab uprisings – ultimately killing, wounding, or imprisoning 10 percent of adult males in the county.

The Six-Day War established Israeli dominance and reawakened Palestinian resistance.

The Six-Day War of 1967 truly lives up to its name. This short conflict, fought between Israel and its neighbors – Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon – hardly lasted a week.

The altercation stemmed from lingering animosity about Israel's successful expansion in 1948. Egypt stoked the tensions by closing the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. In response, Israel launched a devastating preemptive air strike on the Egyptian, Syrian, and Jordanian air forces. In the days that followed, Israeli regiments would capture the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the entire Sinai Peninsula.

The Lebanon War disrupted the PLO but galvanized the Palestinian movement.

It’s a sunny Friday afternoon in Beirut. Office workers are strolling home to start the weekend, and families are out on leisurely shopping trips. Then, suddenly: explosions. The earth shakes as several 2,000-pound bombs detonate in the distance. Dozens more follow.

This is the opening foray of the 1982 Lebanon War. The hostilities begin with Israeli air raids on Beirut – the largest attack on an Arab capital since World War II – and continue with a full-scale ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

The intifada pushed Israel into negotiations but produced an ill-conceived treaty.

In some ways, the next phase of Palestinian resistance began with a discrete event. One night in December 1987, an Israeli army vehicle struck and killed four Palestinians in the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza. Outrage about the collision sparked spontaneous demonstrations and protests that snowballed into an eight-year anti-colonial campaign called the first intifada, or uprising.

In other ways, though, the intifada was a long time coming. For two decades after the Six-Day War, Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and other territories had led increasingly precarious lives under Israel’s so-called enlightened occupation. With the accumulated pressure of poverty and dispossession, frustrations were bound to pour over.

Continued Israeli oppression fed the rise of militant groups like Hamas.

Let’s look at daily life in the Occupied Territories one decade after the Oslo Accords. For the average Palestinian, life has only gotten worse.

The territories are divided and subdivided by an intricate network of Israeli barriers and checkpoints. Traveling requires elusive government permits, and those who obtain them are still subject to humiliating searches and extensive delays. International trade is severely restricted, and the economy is in ruins – the unemployment rate in the Gaza Strip hovers around 50 percent. In contrast, Israeli settlers continue to arrive and travel freely on exclusive overpasses.

Palestine faces an uncertain future, but peace and justice are still possible.

How do colonial occupations end? If history is our guide, these unjust political arrangements conclude in one of three ways.

The first and most dire conclusion is the complete elimination or subjugation of the indigenous people – such was the outcome of the United States’ conquest of the American continent. The second and most rare outcome is the full expulsion of the colonizing power – this came to pass with Algerian independence in the 1960s. The third and final endgame arrives through dismantling colonial supremacy and a serious movement toward reconciliation – here, South Africa and Ireland are key examples.

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What is The Hundred Years' War on Palestine about?

The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine (2020) is a detailed and rigorous look at one of the most misunderstood regions of the world. This timely text chronicles Palestinian history from the perspective of Palestinians.

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine Review

The Hundred Years' War on Palestine (2020) by Rashid Khalidi offers a thought-provoking exploration of the ongoing conflict in Palestine. Here's why this book is worth reading:

With detailed historical analysis and meticulous research, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics of the issue.
The author's nuanced perspective challenges common narratives and offers a fresh and insightful view on the conflict.
By examining the socio-political ramifications and the impact on the lives of Palestinians, the book creates empathy and a deeper connection to the subject matter.

Who should read The Hundred Years' War on Palestine?

Outsiders keen to learn Palestine’s complex history
Zionists open to alternative perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict
Anyone seeking to understand current events in the Middle East

About the Author

Rashid Khalidi is a Palestinian-American historian, the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, and the editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies. His previous books include Palestinian Identity, Brokers of Deceit, and The Iron Cage.

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