The Struggle for the Holy Land: Arabs, Jews, and the Emergence of Israel

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Summary: Pertinent addendum to current events
Review: "Struggle for the Holy Land" by William Hare is a fulfilling historical narrative for American readers who are interested in the Middle East conflict but are overwhelmed by the deluge of information on the subject. William Hare's work provides an objective introduction to a subject polarized by advocacy. Broadly balanced, it unravels the complexity of the Middle East by elucidating complex personalities that have either influenced or have been influenced by its tragedy.

Starting with Einstein's wrenching emotions over Israel's existence, William Hare skillfully weaves Theodor Herzl's passion for the Zionist movement, David Ben-Gurion's sacrifices in Palestine, and Chaim Weizmann's influence over the British empire in a memorable portrait of struggle for a Jewish home then state. Israel's birth couldn't be better or more objectively presented for the casual historian from the Jewish point-of-view. Arab readers will certainly benefit from this objective portrayal of the people who have influenced the conflict currently affecting many Arab nations.

The book also describes the character of the Arab opposition to Israel through Mohammed Ali and T.E. Lawrence. Apparently targeting Western readers, William Hare selected two personalities who personify both a fighting spirit and sophistication. The poignantly perceptive focus on primarily non-Arabic personalities to represent the Arab point-of-view in the book underscores the reality of Arabs today who are yet powerless to voice their own grievances and concerns. Though the Arab voice remains wanting, Arabs are pained to find a more noble or more relevant representation of character and struggle than through Mohammad Ali and T.E. Lawrence.

Engagingly easy to read, I recommend "Struggle for the Holy Land" to anyone concerned about the history of the Middle East conflict.

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Summary: Struggle For The Holly Lanad .. Struggle For The Truth
Review: Before taking this opportunity to write this review about " Struggle For The Holly Land " .. I beleive I should mention the " Struggle " which William Hare had provided inorder to reflex the reality of Middle East in his book .. I will always remember the first time I met William Hare in London in 1995 .. I have been working during that time as Senior Broadcast Journalist for BBC World before mooving to Cyprus, Greece, Yugoslavia, And finally to settle dawn in the Russian capital Moscow.. In London, I have arranged to meet William Hare for special TV interview regarding "Struggle or The Holly Land" , after many many comment I heard about this book.. To be honest, Some of those comment were negative because unfortunatly they were based on the non ended argument, which do not allow an American Author to talk about Middle East if he will not take the side of Israel ..While most of them were very positive, Because they were based on the fact that an area like Middle East is really in real need for Academic Book like The Struggle For The Holly Land .. I will always recommend this book for any person want to meet with the truth in an area that have never stoped providing to us huge quantity of news and developments, under the shadows of wars some time, And under the shadows of peace some other time.. For this reason, I could say that if we want to have better understanding for what's happened and what's going on in The Middle East, we have to take " Struggle For The Holly Land " as our reference .. This is regarding the book.. Regarding the author himself, William Hare, I will always say that since I have concluded the above mentioned interview with him for BBC World, we become two very good friends, both of us struggeling in a way to write "clear" history for the sake of the history itself. Jamal Demloj 15 . 06 . 00

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Summary: Important, Educational and Emotionally Involving
Review: Giving this book a 5-star rating isn't enough; I haven't been this affected-- intellectually and emotionally-- by anything I've read in a very long time, so I wish there were some way to reflect the significant difference between an "A" and an "A+," which is what "Struggle for the Holy Land (Arabs, Jews and the Emergence of Israel)," by William Hare, deserves. First published in 1995, this book is more important and timely today than ever before, as it seeks to promote the kind of understanding and a perspective of the Middle East that is so vital if we are ever, in our efforts as a community of Man, going to be able to effect any semblance of global harmony at all.

William Hare writes from the enlightening perspective that merely understanding the issues and current events in the Middle East is not going to bring about a resolution of the problems that are rooted there, and ultimately have a far-reaching effect on all of the nations of the world; these are scholarly pursuits, but ineffective in realizing any real change in the near (or distant) future. Hare points out that what the situation requires is a thorough understanding of the people involved-- the history, culture and psychological aspects of who they are, and most importantly, "why." And he does it by tracing the roots of Zionism and the genesis of Islam, by going back and determining the cause and effects of the attitudes and actions that have brought us to where we are today.

Hare gets to the heart of his subject by offering an objective examination of historically significant events from the perspective of both the Jews', as well as the Arabs' side, and moreover, the effects of one upon the other, as well as how the world powers of specific times influenced that history, including the involvements of the likes of Czarist Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, America and, of course, the devastating effects of Hitler's Germany. It's a comprehensive, cohesive and thorough treatment, with a depth that transcends the achievements of similar attempts by others, and is even more extraordinary when the fact that Hare's analysis covers a period from Biblical times to the present, inclusively, is considered.

What really brings this book to life, however, and what sets it apart from most histories, is the way Hare brings the situations, and especially the people involved, so vibrantly to life. Typically, works of history are rendered in terms of dry academia; Hare, on the other hand, uses the voice of the novelist for his presentation, which makes historic figures like Einstein, Muhammad, Chaim Weizmann, David Ben Gurion, T.E. Lawrence and Harry Truman (to mention just a few) seem larger than life (as, indeed, their respective accomplishments make evident that they were), while affording and investing the reader with intellectual stimulation, as well as the emotional connection that makes this book so thoroughly involving on so many levels.

From the first chapter, which offers some succinct insights into Albert Einstein and his views on and involvement with Zionism, to the final chapter, which concludes with the dramatic depiction of Sir Alan Cunningham, the British high commissioner, presiding over the ceremony marking the end of British rule in Palestine, Hare's account is riveting and stirring in a way that makes history seem like a tangible entity rather than merely words on a page. His approach is similar to that of Shelby Foote, who so successfully brought possibly the darkest period of American History to life in his trilogy "The Civil War." Like Foote, Hare has the ability to "put you in the room," as it were, making you a part of the action rather than just an observer, and his style is tremendously effective, including his use of contemporary frames of reference, like films, to draw comparisons and correlate especially significant events.

A scholarly endeavor executed artistically can be entertaining as well as educational, and this book certainly is all of that; but more than that, it can be important in a way that supersedes any and all of it's most worthwhile considerations. And this book most certainly is that, as well. One of the most engaging and thought-provoking chapters is Hare's emotionally charged account of the Holocaust, which alone takes this book to an even higher level of significance. Like Steven Spielberg's film "Schindler's List," this particular chapter, especially, makes this book important in that it serves to preserve the memory of that which must not be forgotten at any cost; and it is decidedly the efforts of artists and scholars like William Hare and Steven Spielberg that guards against this kind of history repeating itself. And that, in itself, is a remarkable achievement by any form of measurement.

Sensitively and sensibly written and presented, "Struggle for the Holy Land (Arabs, Jews and the Emergence of Israel)" is an entertaining, educational and important book that should be required reading for everyone. William Hare is to be commended for his astute insights into the human condition and his studied and conclusive perceptions of the whys and wherefores of the world in which we live; and hopefully, through his considerable achievements here and the importance of this book, he will receive the kind of acknowledgement he so richly deserves. This is a book that belongs in everyone's library.

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Summary: IF YOU CAN ONLY READ ONE BOOK ABOUT ISRAEL, LET THIS BE IT!
Review: This was absolutely the BEST book I have ever read regarding the history of the conflict in Israel. I had been unable to find books about the early history of the area that didn't seem biased toward one point of view or the other. STRUGGLE FOR THE HOLY LAND provides a point of intersection in which the interests and aspirations of each side are carefully evaluated. William Hare is truly a talented author with a gift for presenting complex historical events in a way that even the non-history buff can understand and enjoy. Your only disappointment will be when there are no more pages to read! A rare find!

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Summary: Comprehensive examination of the Arab/Israel conflict
Review: William Hare has an extensive background in journalism and interest in world affairs, and it is evident in this book, "Struggle For the Holy Land." Through his investigation, he presents a succinct and thorough report on a complex topic in which solutions to the Arab and Israeli conflict have eluded the world's top leaders. Hare puts the conflict in proper context with an emphasis on the Arab and Israeli leaders who shaped policies generations ago. Particularly compelling are the roles of T.E. Lawrence, David Ben-Gurion and Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann. While much has happened since the book was written in 1995, it remains, in my opinion, a definitive look in historical terms. If anything, it explains well the events that led to the bloodshed we see today. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive examination of the Arab/Israel conflict
Review: William Hare has an extensive background in journalism and interest in world affairs, and it is evident in this book, "Struggle For the Holy Land." Through his investigation, he presents a succinct and thorough report on a complex topic in which solutions to the Arab and Israeli conflict have eluded the world's top leaders. Hare puts the conflict in proper context with an emphasis on the Arab and Israeli leaders who shaped policies generations ago. Particularly compelling are the roles of T.E. Lawrence, David Ben-Gurion and Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann. While much has happened since the book was written in 1995, it remains, in my opinion, a definitive look in historical terms. If anything, it explains well the events that led to the bloodshed we see today. I highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A compelling new view of a centuries-old problem
Review: William Hare uses an evenhanded approach to objectively analyse two thousand years of Middle East history in a compelling manner than entertains as well as it informs. Hare provides a solid point of intersection by shifting the action from Arab to Jewish viewpoint as the story unfolds, without favouring one nation over the other. I also appreciate that fact that the author connects the major events shaping the history of the region to the activities of the major powers involved there through the ages, such as the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain and the United States. 'Struggle for the Holy Land' is a must-read for the historical researcher as well as the concerned individual who wonders what the future might hold. As one who has worked and lived in the Middle East for several years, Mr Hare has greatly enhanced my understanding of this fascinating region where civilisation began. I cannot recommend this work highly enough.