Resources

Abuelaish, Izzeldin. (2011).  I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor’s Journey. New York: Walker & Co.
The author is a Palestinian doctor. During the 2008-2009 Israeli bombardment of Gaza, his house was bombed and three of his daughters and a niece were killed. In this book, he describes life for Palestinians living in Gaza.

al-Ali, Naji. (2009).  A Child in Palestine: The Cartoons of al-Ali. New York: Verso Books.
A collection of cartoons by the Palestinian political cartoonist who is revered throughout the Arab world and who created the iconic character, Hanthala, a destitute Palestinian child who usually stands with his back to the viewer, his hands crossed behind his back.

Ateek, Naim Stifan. (2017).  A Palestinian Theology of Liberation: The Bible, Justice, and the Palestine-Israel Conflict. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Ateek is a Palestinian Anglican priest who was one of the founders of the Palestinian ecumenical liberation theology organization, Sabeel. In this book, Ateek provides an overview of Palestinian liberation theology and its intersection with the struggle for Palestinian self-determination and freedom.

Baltzer, Anna. (2007).  Witness in Palestine: Journal of a Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
Baltzer was a national organizer for the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. This book is in the form of a journal and describes what she found when she spent eight months in the West Bank.

Barghouti, Omar. (2011).  BDS: Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books.
The author is a Palestinian human rights activist and leader of the BDS movement. In this book, he provides a thorough rationale for a global BDS movement to stop Israel’s apartheid occupation and colonization of the Occupied Territories.

Bennis, Phyllis. (2012).  Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer. Northampton, MA: Olive Branch Press.
Bennis is a longtime analyst of the Middle East. In this book, which is written in a Question and Answer format, she provides succinct, yet comprehensive, answers to a multitude of commonly voiced questions (e.g., What are the Occupied Territories?).

Blumenthal, Max. (2013).  Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel. New York: Nation Books.
The author is a journalist and blogger and, in this book, he provides a powerful account of how Israel has, since before its inception, persecuted Palestinians. He also describes Israeli society as it has become increasingly more authoritarian.

Braverman, Mark. (2013).  A Wall in Jerusalem: Hope, Healing, and the Struggle for Justice in Israel and Palestine. New York: Jericho.
A Jewish American activist with deep roots in the Holy Land, the author was transformed when he saw the occupation of Palestine and met with activists of all three major faiths in the region. In this book, he explores the roots of the conflict and offers a course of action.

Chabon, Michael, & Waldman, Ayelet. (Eds.) (2017).  Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers Confront the Occupation. New York: HarperCollins.
This is a book of essays written by writers from around the world who have visited Palestine (e.g., Geraldine Brooks, Mario Vargas Llosa, Jacqueline Woodson). Three of the essayists are Palestinian (Ala Hlehel, Fida Jiryis, Raja Shehadeh).

Chacour, Elias, with Hazard, David. (2013).  Blood Brothers: The Dramatic Story of a Palestinian Christian Working for Peace in Israel. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
The author, a Palestinian-Arab-Christian-Israeli who was the archbishop of the Melkite Church in Israel from 2006 to 2014, describes his childhood in a Palestinian village, the persecution that Palestinians have experienced at the hands of Israeli armed forces, and his efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Chomsky, Noam, & Pappé, Ilan. (2013).  Gaza in Crisis: Reflections on Israel's War Against the Palestinians. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books.
The authors explore the fallout from Israel's conduct in the three-week bombardment of Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009, called Operation Cast Lead; they place it into the context of Israel's longstanding occupation of Palestine.

Cook, Jonathan. (2006).  Blood and Religion: The Unmasking of the Jewish and Democratic State. Ann Arbor, MI: Pluto Press.
The author is a journalist who lives in Nazareth. In this book, he explores Israel’s treatment of Palestinians during the second intifada and explains the territorial separation policy that led Israel to move out of Gaza and build the apartheid wall in the West Bank.

El-Haddad, Laila, & Schmitt, Maggie. (2012).  The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey. Charlottesville, VA: Just World Books.
Each of the 120 kitchen-tested recipes comes from Gaza. The book also includes conversations with cooks, farmers, and economists, which provide insights into everyday life in the embattled Gaza Strip.

Finkelstein, Norman G. (2003).  The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering. (3rd ed.). New York: Verso Books.
First published in 2000, this book argues that American Jewish elites exploit the memory of the Holocaust for financial and political gain and as a means to support Israel. Finkelstein, who is Jewish, contends that it has corrupted an authentic memory of the Holocaust.

Gilbert, Mads, & Fosse, Erik. (2013).  Eyes in Gaza. London: Quartet Books.
The authors are Norwegian doctors who were in Gaza during the 22-day Israeli war on Gaza from Dec. 27, 2008 to Jan. 12, 2009. This book is a day-by-day account of what the two doctors experienced as they treated Palestinians and listened to their stories.

Halper, Jeff. (2008).  An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel. London; Ann Arbor, MI: Pluto Press.
The author, an Israeli anthropologist and activist, provides a critique of the oppressive Israeli occupation of Palestine and argues for a confederation or Middle East Union, similar to the European Union, in which Jews and Palestinians have equal rights.

Halper, Jeff. (2018).  Obstacles to Peace: A Reframing of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. (4th edition). Jerusalem: Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD).
This publication is a resource manual of articles and maps on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Find it here

Hass, Amira. (1999).  Drinking the Sea at Gaza: Days and Nights in a Land Under Siege. New York: Metropolitan Books.
The author is a correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. In 1993, she went to live in Gaza and, in this book, she gives voice to the many ordinary Gazans she got to know. The book is still very relevant.

Kashua, Sayed. (2016).  Native: Dispatches from an Israeli-Palestinian Life. New York: Grove Press.
This is a collection of columns written by the Palestinian-Israeli author and published in Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper. Over time, his columns became much more direct about the impact on Palestinians of living in an apartheid state, Israel.

Kaufman-Lacusta, Maxine. (2010).  Refusing to Be Enemies: Palestinian and Israeli Nonviolent Resistance to the Israeli Occupation. Reading, England: Ithaca Press.
The author is a Quaker Jew who lived in Jerusalem for seven years. This book is the result of the many interviews she did with advocates for and practitioners of nonviolent resistance; most of the interviews were with Palestinians and Israelis.

Khalidi, Rashid. (2013). Brokers of Deceit: How the US Has Undermined Peace in the Middle East. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
This book examines how the United States has colluded with Israel to prevent a just peace. It focuses on three events: The “Reagan Plan” of 1982; the Madrid Peace Conference (1991–1993); and President Obama’s retreat from stopping the building of settlements.

Khalidi, Rashid. (2006). The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
The author is an expert on the Middle East and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this book, he explores Palestinian attempts to achieve independence and statehood, with a concentration on the British Mandate (1920–1948) to the present.

Khalidi, Walid. (1984, 1991). Before Their Diaspora: A Photographic History of the Palestinians 1876-1948. Washington, D.C.: Institute for Palestine Studies.
A chronological collection of captioned photographs and historical documents about Palestine and Palestinians from the late Ottoman period to the Nakba (the Catastrophe) in 1948, when Israel was created.

Kharm, Ghada. (2002). In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story. New York: Verso Books.
The author is a medical doctor, journalist, and activist. This autobiography focuses on growing up in the 1930s and 1940s in a mixed Muslim-Christian Jerusalem neighborhood.

Lim, Audrea (Ed.). (2012). The Case for Sanctions Against Israel. London; Brooklyn, NY: Verso Books.
People who are active in the movement to bring a just peace to Palestine/Israel wrote the essays in this book. Authors include Omar Barghouti, Ilan Pappé, and Naomi Klein. 

Maira, Sunaina. (2018). Boycott!: The Academy and Justice for Palestine. Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
This book explores the academic boycott of Israel, called for in 2014 by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). This campaign preceded by one year the Palestinian civil society call for an international boycott of Israel, known as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. 

Makdisi, Saree. (2008). Palestine Inside Out: An Everyday Occupation. New York: W. W. Norton.
The author is an American of Palestinian and Lebanese descent who teaches at UCLA. In this book, he provides a compelling window into what life is like for Palestinians living under occupation, and also analyzes Israeli policies and “peace process” events. 

Mearsheimer, John J. & Walt, Stephen M. (2007). The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
The authors, professors at the University of Chicago and Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, respectively, examine the impact of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy. They describe the remarkable level of material and diplomatic support that the United States provides to Israel and argue that this support cannot be fully explained on either strategic or moral grounds.

Pappé, Ilan. (2006). The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications.
In this book, the author, an Israeli historian who now lives in England, uses archival evidence to show how, between 1947 and 1948, Israel destroyed hundreds of Palestinian villages, massacred civilians, and forcibly expelled about 1 million Palestinians at gunpoint.

Pappé, Ilan. (2011). The Forgotten Palestinians: A History of the Palestinians in Israel. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Pappé examines how Palestinians living within the borders of Israel (not in Gaza or the West Bank) have fared under Israeli rule and what their lives tell us about Israel's attitude toward minorities and Palestinians' attitudes toward the Jewish state.

Pappé, Ilan. (2006). A History of Modern Palestine: One Land, Two Peoples. (2nd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press.
This history of modern Palestine traces events from the 19th century through the early 21st century. Pappé explains why well-publicized events failed (e.g., the Olso Accords).

Pappé, Ilan. (2014). The Idea of Israel: A History of Power and Knowledge. London; New York: Verso Books.
Israel has always drawn on Zionism to justify its actions, and this book shows how Zionism continues to influence all facets of life in Israel, including its education system, media, and the arts, as well as its impact on Palestinians.

Peled, Miko. (2012). The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine. Charlottesville, VA: Just World Books.
The author is from a prominent Israeli military family. Over time, he became an activist for a just peace in Israel and Palestine. Peled explores the long-standing conflict in the area, as well as his own transformation. With an introduction by Alice Walker.

Peled-Elhanan, Nurit. (2012). Palestine in Israel School Books: Ideology and Propaganda in Education. London: I.B. Tauris.
An Israeli language and education professor, the author explores how Israel’s textbooks prepare high school graduates for compulsory military service; she argues that this is accomplished through pro-Israel ideology, as seen in the images and language used.

PENGON (The Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network) (Ed.). (2003). The Wall in Palestine: Facts, Testimonies, Analysis and Call to Action. Jerusalem: PENGON.
A detailed and visually vivid and informative account of the impact of the apartheid wall on Palestinians. Although published several years ago, the book is still very relevant.

Qumsiyeh, Mazin B. (2011). Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment. London; New York: Pluto Press.
In contrast with Western media’s portrayal of Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation as exclusively violent (e.g., rocket attacks), Qumsiyeh’s book explores the peaceful and creative resistance movement that dominates in Palestine.

Qumsiyeh, Mazin B. (2004). Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle. London; New York: Pluto Press; Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Qumsiyeh questions why Jews from around the world have the right to live in Israel, but Palestinian exiles have no right of return. He argues that all who live on this land should share the land and live in a single democratic, secular state.

Riordan, Michael (Ed.). (2011). Our Way to Fight: Israeli and Palestinian Activists for Peace. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press; Lawrence Hill Books.
We don’t often hear about Palestinian non-violent activism in our media, and this book offers insights into the Israel-Palestine conflict through the eyes, words, and experiences of courageous Palestinian and Israeli peace activists.

Sacco, Joe. (2009). Footnotes in Gaza. New York: Metropolitan Books.
Sacco is a cartoonist and this graphic nonfiction book focuses on the 1956 slaughter by Israeli forces of hundreds of Palestinians in two towns in Gaza, Khan Younis and Rafah.

Sacco, Joe. (2010). Palestine: A Nation Occupied. Seattle, WA: Fantagraphic Books.
A graphic nonfiction book about the experiences of the author-cartoonist in the West Bank and Gaza in December 1991 and January 1992.

Sarsour, Linda.  (2020).  We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders.  New York: Simon & Schuster.
This Palestinian American author and activist grew up in Brooklyn, but visited her family in Palestine often.  From a young age, she successfully organized people in her community and became one of the lead organizers of the Women’s March on DC in 2016.  In this memoir, she describes her life and activism, including the pushback she experienced for being an unapologetic Muslim and supporter of Palestine.

Sperlinger, Tom. (2015). Romeo and Juliet in Palestine: Teaching Under Occupation. Winchester, UK; Washington, DC: Zero Books.
Sperlinger spent five months in 2013 teaching English literature at Al-Quds University in the Occupied West Bank. He shares the lives, words, and writing of his Palestinian students and colleagues, as well as his growing understanding of life under the Israeli occupation.

Suarez, Thomas (2016). State of Terror: How Terrorism Created Modern Israel. Northampton, Massachusetts: Olive Branch Press.
The author shows how supporters of a Jewish state in Palestine used terror to achieve their aims (e.g., during the British Mandate in Palestine). Suarez draws on terrorists' own accounts, in which they boasted of their successes, as well as intelligence briefings and secret diplomatic correspondence.

Wagner, Donald E., & Davis, Walter T. (Eds.). (2014). Zionism and the Quest for Justice in the Holy Land. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications.
This book explores several themes, including the role that Zionism and Christian Zionism have played in shaping attitudes toward Israel and Palestine and how Christians, Jews, and Muslims understand the competing claims to the land of Palestine and Israel.

Weir, Alison. (2014). Against our Better Judgment: The Hidden History of How the U.S. Was Used to Create Israel.
This book shows how, after World War II, President Truman supported the creation of a Jewish state in a region that was peopled by mostly Arab Muslims and Christians. Many high-ranking diplomats and military officials opposed this decision.

Abulhawah, Susan. (2010). Mornings in Jenin. New York: Bloomsbury.
In this novel, the author tells the story of four generations of the Palestinian Abulheja family, from the formation of Israel in 1948 and their forcible removal from their village, Ein Hod, to the Jenin refugee camp, to the present day.

McCann, Colum.  Apeirogon. (2020)  NY: Random House.
This novel is grounded in interviews the author conducted with two protagonists, Bassam Aramin, who is Palestinians, and Rami Elhanen, who is Israeli.  They both lost young daughters to violence- a bullet fired by an Israeli police officer killed Bassam's daughter, Abir, and a suicide bomber killed Rami's duaghter, Smadar.  The fathers joined The Parents Circle and tried to use their grief as a weapon of peace.  Readers may have heard the fathers speak as they have visited many places to share their stories and hopes for peace.

Yizhar, S. (2008; originally published in Hebrew in 1949). Khirbet Khizeh. London: Granta.
A short, powerful novel about the expulsion of a fictional Palestinian village in 1948 in the Nakba/Catastrophe (what Israel refers to as the War of Independence). The Israeli author was a combatant in that war. This book is the only one in Israeli literature that describes the 1948 expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. (2010). Where the Streets Had a Name. New York City: Scholastic Press.
A novel about a 13-year-old girl living in Bethlehem who is determined to bring a handful of soil from her dying grandmother’s ancestral home in Jerusalem and the impact of the Israeli occupation on the young girl’s efforts.

Alareer, Refaat (Ed.). (2014). Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine. Charlottesville, VA: Just World Books. Fifteen young people from Gaza wrote the stories in this anthology. Their writing is grounded in their experiences living under Israel’s siege and blockade, and they view the book as a means of presenting and preserving Palestinian memories. Find a webcast with the editor and four of the authors.

Allen, Sally Bahous. (1997). Sitti and the Cats: A Tale of Friendship. Lapham, MD: Roberts Rinehart Publishers.
A picture book that recounts a traditional story told for many years to Palestinian children about an old woman, Sitti (grandmother), who is alone in the world and one day rescues a stranded kitten. This act of kindness completely changes her life.

Barakat, Ibtisam. (2007). Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
A memoir set in the West Bank during the Six-Day War in 1967. About the life of young Ibtisam Barakat and her family when they were uprooted, forced into exile in Jordan, then later allowed back to their old home, only to be surrounded by Israeli soldiers.

Bashi, Golbarg. (2017). P Is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book. New York: Dr. Bashi.
A rhyming alphabet book that focuses on Palestinian geography, culture, and history, including Palestinian foods (e.g., falafel, labneh), festivals (e.g., Eid, Christmas), regions and towns (e.g., Gaza, Bethlehem), and events (e.g., Intifada, “rising up” in Arabic).

Bishara, Amahl. (2005). The Boy and the Wall. (Illustrations by youth from the Lajee Centre). Ramallah, Palestine: Lajee Centre. (Available in North America from Nidal Al-Azraq at nd_alazraq@yahoo.com.)
In a rhythmic speak-and-respond structure modeled after The Runaway Bunny, a Palestinian child living in Aida Refugee Camp near Bethlehem talks with his mother about what he can do to help Palestinians overcome the impact of the apartheid wall. This is a bilingual book (in Arabic and English).

Carter, Anne Laurel. (2008). The Shepherd’s Granddaughter. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press.
A contemporary coming-of-age novel set in the West Bank. About a young Palestinian girl, Amani, and her family’s struggle to keep their land and homes in the face of the brutal Israeli occupation (e.g., prohibited from traveling freely, theft of land and water sources).

Laird, Elizabeth. (2006). A Little Piece of Ground. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books (originally published by Macmillan UK in 2003).
A novel about 12-year-old boys who are living under occupation in Ramallah in the West Bank and searching for a place to play soccer. The author lived with a Palestinian family in Ramallah while doing research for her story.

Middle East Children’s Alliance. (2012). A Child’s View from Gaza: Palestinian Children’s Art and the Fight Against Censorship. Berkeley, Calif.: Pacific View Press.
A collection of captioned illustrations created by Palestinian children who lived through the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in 2008-2009. The pictures were drawn as part of an effort to help children deal with the horrors they had experienced.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. (2002). 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East. New York: Greenwillow Books.
This is a collection of poems about being Arab American, about family, and about life in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. The poems are based on the author’s life.

Nye, Naomi Shihab (Ed.). (2002). The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East. New York City: Aladdin Paperbacks.
The 60 poems in this collection are written by poets from many countries in the Middle East (e.g., Palestine, Israel, and Iraq), as well as elsewhere, and they explore issues such as family and one’s relationship with the earth. They challenge stereotypes of the Middle East.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. (1994). Sitti’s Secrets. New York: Simon & Schuster.
In this picture book, Mona lives in America and goes to visit her grandmother in a Palestinian village in the West Bank. Although Mona does not speak a shared language with her grandmother (Sitti in Arabic), they are able to communicate through gestures, music, and actions.

O’Grady, Ellen. (2005). Outside the Ark: An Artist’s Journey in Occupied Palestine. Durham, N.C.: 55 Books.
The author is an artist-activist who worked for six years in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. In this book, she uses text and paintings to tell the stories of Palestinians living under occupation that she knew and lived with.

Razak, Leila Abdel. (n.d.). Mariposa Road. Originally published on the Electronic Intifada.
A graphic zine about the experiences of two men from Gaza, Hisham and Mounis, who sought asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2014. Because the United States doesn’t recognize Palestine, they were considered stateless and were imprisoned in an ICE facility for over a year and denied asylum, though no reason was given.

Sacco, Joe. (1993,1994). Palestine: A Nation Occupied. Seattle, WA: Fantagraphics Books.
A graphic first-person nonfiction book that reveals who Palestinians are and why they have resisted Zionism and the Israeli occupation. Sacco also provides a brief history of the region. For older readers.

Shami, Wafa. (2019). Easter in Ramallah.  A Story of Childhood Memories.
This picture book is about friendship and how Christian and Muslim Palestinians have shared holiday traditions for many, many years.  Illustrated by Shaima Farouki.

Abulhawah, Susan. (2013). My Voice Sought the Wind. Charlottesville, VA: Just World Books.
A poetry anthology from a Palestinian-American author that explores her personal journey, including the pain of being separated from her homeland, nostalgic memories of the past, and reconciliation with and hope for the future.

Ali, Taha Muhammad. (2006). So What: New and Selected Poems (with a Story) 1971-2005. Port Townsend, WA: Copper Canyon Press.
The author is a self-taught Palestinian poet who was forced from his home in the Galilee in 1948 when a young boy. The poems in this collection explore the pain of occupation, exile, and migration.

Darwish, Mahmoud. (2003). Unfortunately It Was Paradise: Selected Poems. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
The author is a critically acclaimed and prolific poet who was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. This collection includes poems from throughout his long career.

Farah, Najwa Kawar. (2009). To Palestine with Love. Nicosia, Cyprus: Rimal Publications.
A collection of poems and paintings that express the exiled Palestinian author’s response to a multitude of experiences and memories.

Nye, Naomi Shihab.  (2019). The Tiny Journalist.  Rochester, NY: BOA Editions.
This collection of poems written by the acclaimed Palestinian American writer, Naomi Shihab Nye, was inspired by the life and work of Janna Jihad Ayyad, the young Palestinian journalist who, at the age of seven, began filming videos of anti-occupation proteests using her mother's smartphone.  The author also draws on her own experiences living in the West Bank when she was a teenager, as well as her Palestinian father's experiences living in a village not far from Janna's.

A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution (2021)
This and damning report from Human Rights Watch is a must-read and can be found here.

Regime of Jewish Supremacy From the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This Is Apartheid (2021)
This report from B'Tselem (The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories) documents how Israel treats Palestinians very differently from Jews (e.g., repressive laws that apply only to Palestinians; illegal settlements/colonies in the West Bank; the blockade of Gaza).  The report can be found here.

T.U.R.A.T.H.: Teaching, Understanding and Representing Arabs Throughout History (2012)
How well are Arab and Muslim American students represented in high school learning experiences in the Bay Area? Not well, if at all, according to a study conducted by the youth arm of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center. The report can be found here

The Goldstone Report “The Goldstone Report: Human Rights in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab Territories: Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict” (September 25, 2009)
The U.N. fact-finding mission was established to investigate alleged war crimes in the Israeli war on Gaza in 2008-2009. It was headed by renowned South African judge Richard Goldstone. The mission found Hamas guilty of grave breeches of international law. However, the report is much more damning of Israel, stating that Israel had engaged in a “deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate, and terrorize a civilian population.” This indictment of Israel was not received well in Israel and the U.S., and Judge Goldstone was attacked. In 2011, he retracted this statement; his three co-authors released a joint statement criticizing Goldstone’s recantation. An article that includes the official report can be found here.

Bisharat, George. Some Responses to the Goldstone Report (before and after Goldstone’s retraction)
 “Goldstone Report: Israel’s failings,” LA Times (Sept. 19, 2009). 

Falk, Richard. “Why Goldstone’s Report Matters” (Sept. 19, 2009)

Horowitz, A., Ratner, L, & Weiss, P. (Eds.). (2011). The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict. New York: Nation Books.
This publication has two main sections: 1) an abridged version of the official report, and b) chapters on the legacy of the Goldstone report. Contributors include Rashid Khalidi, Ali Abunimah, and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Human Rights Watch Report: Israel and Palestine: Events of 2018
This report documents multiple aspects of Israel’s actions against Palestinians, including its disproportionate military, economic, and humanitarian response to Palestinian protests in Gaza; actions of Israeli occupation forces and settlers in the West Bank; the arbitrary detention of Palestinians; and the detention of Palestinian children. It also reports on rockets fired from Gaza into Israel and the responses of the Palestinian Authority (in the West Bank) and Hamas (in Gaza) to their opponents and critics. In addition, the report documents actions in Israel directed at its Palestinian citizens, including demolishing Bedouin homes. The report can be found here.

Amnesty International Report: Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories (2019)
This report addresses several issues including unlawful killings by Israeli military and security forces; the impact of Israel’s blockade of Gaza and actions in the West Bank on Palestinians’ freedom of movement and access to health care, water, and sanitation; and the unlawful detention of Palestinians and their prosecution in military courts. The report can be found here.

United Nations Reports Here are two recent reports:

“Israeli Practices Affecting Human Rights of Palestinian People in oPt – Secretary-General Report” (A/74/468)
This report focuses on Israeli actions affecting Palestinian human rights in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. It reports on excessive Israeli force leading to hundreds of Palestinian deaths and the injury of thousands of Palestinians; illegal settlement building and settler violence; forced eviction of Palestinians and home demolitions; and the impact of these actions on the human rights of Palestinians. The report can be found here.

“Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem, and the Occupied Syrian Golan”
This report addresses Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and their impact on the human rights of Palestinians. The report covers the period from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. The report addresses multiple issues, including: the increase in settlement building; the actions of the Israeli government, politicians, and the courts in settlement expansion; settler violence throughout the Occupied Territories, especially Nablus and Hebron; the culpability of Israeli security forces in settler violence; the impact of settler violence on access to Palestinian lands and livelihoods; the impact of house and school demolitions on Palestinians; attacks on human rights defenders; and Israeli contraventions of international law. The report can be found here.

1948: Creation and Catastrophe (2017)
(1 hour, 25 minutes) is about the creation of Israel and how it catastrophically affected Palestinians. Based on the personal recollections of Palestinians and Israeli, film footage, and historians’ insights, including those of Ilan Pappé.

5 Broken Cameras (2012) (1 hour, 34 minutes).
Palestinian Emad Burnat co-directed this Oscar-nominated documentary. He was given his first camera in 2006 after the birth of a child and began to record life in the Palestinian village of Bil’in, located near an Israeli settlement on the West Bank. The film also chronicles the danger in filming in Palestine—Israelis destroyed five of his cameras.

500 Dunams on the Moon (2002) (48 minutes) is about the 1948 Israeli expulsion of the Palestinian villagers living in Ayn Hawd. It was turned into an Israeli artist colony, Ein Hod. After the expulsion, the Palestinian villagers moved to a new location 1½ kilometers away, but their village has never been recognized by Israel and they do not receive any services.

Advocate (2019) (1 hour, 50 mins.) focuses on Israeli lawyer Lea Tsemel who, since the early 1970s, has defended Palestinians in Israeli courts. She is both an attorney and an advocate for her Palestinian clients.  The movie is available from libraries and can be rented or purchased through various online sites (e.g., Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vimeo). 

BBC Report on Israel’s Secret Weapon (nuclear arms and WMDs) (2003) (45 minutes).
First broadcast in the UK in 2003, this documentary explores the history of Israel’s development of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, from the 1960s to the present day. It features the experiences of Israeli whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu. Available on YouTube. A transcript of the film is available on The Electronic Intifada.

Born in Gaza/Nacido en Gaza (2015) (1 hour, 18 mins.)
This Spanish documentary was filmed in 2014, soon after the Israeli airstrike on Gaza that killed four young Palestinian boys who were playing soccer on the beach.  The film focuses on the impact of Israel’s actions on children and does so very powerfully.  Available on Netflix (and on YouTube for a small rental fee).(If you don’t subscribe to Netflix, the company often offers a free one-month subscription—just remember to cancel the subscription after the free month if you don’t want to pay for future months.)

Budrus (2009) (1 hour, 12 minutes).
In this highly acclaimed documentary, Ayed Morrar organizes to save his village, Budrus, from destruction by Israel’s apartheid barrier. He unites different Palestinian political factions, and his 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, organizes the women so that, together, villagers use nonviolent resistance to protect their lives and village.

Conquer and Divide (2018)
The Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, put together this detailed interactive map of the history of the occupation of Palestine by Israel.

The Easiest Target: The Israeli Policy of Strip Searching Women and Children (2005) (13 minutes).
In this short documentary, five women (Palestinian, American, Muslim, Christian, Jewish) recount their humiliating experiences when strip-searched by Israeli border guards and airport security officials. View it on the If Americans Knew website (where there are lots of other interesting videos).

Flying Paper (2014) (1 hour, 11 minutes) is a documentary about resilient Palestinian children in Gaza who build and fly kites in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for the most kites ever flown at one time. Co-produced with a team of young filmmakers in Gaza. Find it here.

The Gatekeepers (2012) (1 hour, 15 minutes) is a documentary about the work of the Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, as told from the perspective of six of its former heads. Includes archival coverage. Available on Amazon Prime.

How Are the Children? (1 hour, 10 minutes) is a two-part film and accompanying curriculum available through the United Church of Christ, which focuses on the atrocities that Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation experience. Watch the film and get more information here.

Imprisoning a Generation (50 minutes) explores the Israeli mistreatment of Palestinian children, including kidnapping, detaining, torturing, and abusing them; the film focuses on four children.

In the Image: Palestinian Women Capture the Occupation (2014) (1 hour).
Palestinian women who are “citizen journalists” capture life under the Israeli occupation using video cameras provided by the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem. Get more information about the film here.

Jerusalem: The East Side Story (2007) (56 minutes) by Mohammed Alatar is about the occupation of East Jerusalem and the continuing dispossession of native Palestinians. The film is available on Vimeo.

Kings of Capitol Hill (2020) (88 mins.)​.
Christian evangelicals and AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) are both powerful lobbies that have huge influence on U.S. legislators and their support of Israel, as this documentary shows.  PBS was scheduled to show the documentary in April 2021, but pulled it after it was challenged by far-right organizations.  An article about the film can be found here. It is important to contact PBS and local stations and demand that the film be shown.

The Lab (2013) (60 minutes) is about the Israeli arms industry (Israel is the world’s third largest weapons manufacturer and exporter), how the occupation of Palestine has become a business, and how so many countries around the world are in cahoots with Israel. Find it here.

The Law in These Parts (2011) (1 hour, 41 minutes) is a powerful indictment of Israel’s military court system that deeply affects Palestinians. In Hebrew with English subtitles. Available on Amazon Prime. A January 2013 newspaper review captures the film.

Little Town of Bethlehem (2010) (1 hour, 17 minutes) is about three young men (a Christian Palestinian, a Muslim Palestinian, and a Jewish Israeli) who are all involved in non-violent resistance in Palestine and Israel. May need quite a bit of background knowledge to really appreciate the events that are addressed.

Michael Ratner’s Response to Bill de Blasio’s AIPAC speech on therealnews.com (2/2/14) (16 minutes)
In a speech to AIPAC, New York mayor Bill DeBlasio claimed a special U.S. relationship with Israel. His comments included, “As mayor of New York City, you have a friend and an ally at City Hall . . . when you need me to stand by you in Washington . . . that’s my job.” DeBlasio’s comments are included, followed by a critical response from Michael Ratner, President Emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights. Find it here.

Occupation 101 (2006) (1 hour, 30 minutes) is a powerful, historical exposition of the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, life for Palestinians under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and major obstacles standing in the way of a lasting and viable peace. Find it here.

Occupation Has No Future (2010) (1 hour, 24 minutes) is about the occupation of Palestine and the militarism that underpins Israeli society, as told initially by Israeli refusniks and shministim (12th graders who refuse to serve in the IDF), then by Palestinians living under occupation. Get more information here.

Palestine Is Still the Issue (2002) (53 minutes) is a television documentary by John Pilger that is a follow-up to the 1977 film he made with the same name. Pilger interviewed Palestinians and Israelis and filmed in Gaza and the West Bank. View it online.

Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land (2004) (1 hour, 20 minutes) is about the role of U.S. media in providing biased, pro-Israel coverage of the Palestine/Israel conflict. Speakers include ordinary Palestinians as well as well-known people, such as Hanan Ashwari and Noam Chomsky. View it on YouTube here.

The People’s Patriarch: Reflections with Patriarch Michel Sabbah (2020) (1 hour, 7 mins.), directed by Mohammed Alatar, focuses on the first Arab to hold the office of Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and his efforts to bring justice and peace to his homeland.  The film can be watched here.  (Note: the film itself begins around the 12:39 mark, after introductions.)

Rachel (2009) (1 hour, 40 minutes) is about activist Rachel Corrie who was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer (made by Caterpillar) as she tried to prevent a Palestinian home in Gaza from being leveled.

Rick Steves’ Palestine (2015) (27 minutes).
The well-known travel writer Rick Steves went to Palestine in 2015 and this is his account of his visit. View it on YouTube here.

Roadmap to Apartheid (2012) (1 hour, 34 minutes), narrated by Alice Walker, addresses why Palestinians feel they are living in an apartheid system, and why many people around the world agree with them. The film uses footage from South Africa and Palestine/Israel. Available on Amazon Prime.

Sacred Space Denied: Bethlehem and the Wall (2005) (22 minutes) is about how the apartheid wall imprisons residents of Bethlehem and its holy sites, profoundly affecting Palestinians, Palestinian culture, and commerce. Available in two parts on YouTube: part 1 and part 2.

Stone Cold Justice (2014) (45 minutes) is about the treatment of Palestinian children in the West Bank. It focuses on three boys who were arrested (two in the middle of the night), interrogated, and forced to sign false confessions. The film showed on the mainstream Australian TV station, ABC1, in February 2014. View it online.

The Stones Cry Out (2013) (55 minutes) is about the impact of the Israeli occupation of Palestine on Christian Palestinians. It shows how Bethlehem is now encircled by the apartheid wall, which cuts it off from Jerusalem and robs Palestinians of much of their agricultural land.

Tears of Gaza (2010) (1 hour, 21 minutes) is about the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009 and the impact of it on the lives of ordinary people. Often stark images underscored claims of wars crimes on the part of Israel and the culpability of the United States in this military campaign. Available on YouTube and Amazon Prime.

They Were Promised the Sea (2013) (1 hour, 14 minutes) is a myth-destroying documentary about the mass migration of Moroccan Jews to Israel after the Six-Day War in 1967; it challenges the notion that Jewish Moroccans were expelled. The film is the result of a search by the Canadian director Kathy Wazana into her family’s Moroccan roots. Available on Vimeo.

The Truth: Lost at Sea (2017) (56 mins.) is about the 2010 convoy of cargo ships taking humanitarian aid to Gaza in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The flotilla was attacked by the Israeli military while in international waters, and 10 activists died. Available here or on Prime Video.

Wall (Mur) (2004) (1 hour, 38 minutes), by Moroccan Israeli Simone Bitton, is about the building of the apartheid wall. We hear from Palestinians whose lives are deeply affected by the wall, Palestinians who are building the wall, Israeli Defense Ministry officials, and settlers.

The War Around Us (2012) (1 hour, 15 minutes).
Only two international journalists for Al Jazeera English, Ayman Mohyeldin and Sherine Tadros, were on the ground in Gaza during Israel’s devastating 22-day military offensive in 2008–2009. This documentary shows the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population. Find it here.

Where Should the Birds Fly? (2013) (58 minutes).
Filmmaker Fida Qishta was born and raised in Rafah, Gaza, and works with international human rights observers in Gaza. In this film, she shares her experiences living in Gaza and those of Mona Samouni, a young girl who lost many, many family members in Cast Lead, the Israel bombardment of Gaza in 2008–2009. Available on Vimeo.

Within Eye of Storm (2012) (1 hour, 8 minutes) is a poignant and compelling documentary about two men, one Palestinian (Bassam) and one Israeli (Rami), who both lost daughters to violence and became close friends through their peace activist work. Find it here.

A World Not Ours (2014) (1 hour, 33 minutes) is a multi-generational documentary about the Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, Ain al-Helweh, which has been home to 70,000 people for over 60 years. The filmmaker, Mahdi Fleifel, grew up in the camp, now lives in Denmark, and has visited the camp many times. He and family members kept a video diary of life in the camp.

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea (2011) (1 hour, 39 minutes) is about a young French immigrant to Israel who does not understand all the violence and writes a letter to Gaza, which she puts in a bottle and which her brother, an IDF soldier stationed near Gaza, throws into the sea. A young Palestinian in Gaza finds the bottle and an email correspondence ensues.

Man Without a Cell Phone (2010) (1 hour, 10 minutes) is a humorous drama by Sameh Zoabi about a farmer in a village near Nazareth who tries to organize a grassroots protest against the erection of a cell phone tower in his village . . . only to be opposed by family members who love the improved cell phone reception.

The Present (2020) (25 mins.) is a short Palestinian-British film that was nominated for an Oscar and is on Netflix.  It’s a very powerful movie about Israeli cruelty at checkpoints and how a young girl helps her father solve a potentially disastrous situation at a checkpoint when they are returning home from a shopping expedition.

When I Saw You (2012) (1 hour, 33 minutes) is set in Jordan in 1967, close to the border with occupied Palestine. About an 11-year-old, Tarek, who is living with his mother in a refugee camp and was separated from his father during the Six-Day War. He sets off on a journey to find his father.

The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour (2008) (1 hour, 4 minutes)
A film showing four very funny comedians of Middle Eastern descent who challenge stereotypes with incisive and refreshing humor. Two of the comedians, Aron Kader and Dean Obeidallah, are Palestinian Americans.

Sean Taylor—Palestine (2019) (6 minutes)
Sean Taylor is a musician and songwriter, and this short poetic and visual song/recitation captures the history and reality of Palestine. Find it here.

Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel is a human rights organization/legal center established in 1996. It works to promote and defend the rights of Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Territories. Adalah is Arabic for justice.

Adammeer: Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association is a Ramallah-based prisoner support and human rights organization. They work on many related issues, including stopping indefinite detentions and boycotting the security company G4S, which services Israeli detention centers that use torture, including on children. Adammeer is Arabic for conscience.

Aljazeera English is a news outlet that provides ongoing coverage of the world. Coverage of the Middle East, including Palestine and Israel, can be found here.

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is a civil rights organization founded by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk dedicated to protecting civil rights and promoting mutual understanding. Senator Abourezk was of Lebanese descent.

American Friends Service Committee
One of AFSC’s key issues is justice in Palestine and Israel. AFSC supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has a database for searching human rights violations hidden in investments.

Breaking the Silence is an organization of veteran Israeli soldiers who are devoted to exposing the Israeli public to the reality of everyday life in the Occupied Territories.

B’tselem is an Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied TerritoriesAn Israeli human rights organization that documents and educates the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories.

Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) is “dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Type in “Palestine” in the Search box for information about CCR’s work regarding Palestine.

Christian Peacemaker Team, Palestine supports Palestinian-led, nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation, including providing daily accompaniment for Palestinian children walking to and from school. They also publish reports (e.g., about children under occupation).

Council for the National Interest is an independent, non-partisan news source that provides information on and analyses of the Middle East, with a primary focus on Israel/Palestine.

Defense for Children International (DCIP) defends children’s rights by offering free legal aid, documenting violations of international law, and advocating for greater protections for Palestinian children living in the Occupied West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.  With American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), they initiated the No Way to Treat a Child campaign.

The Electronic Intifada , founded in 2001, is an independent online news publication that focuses on Palestine. Ali Abunimah is the executive director and Nora Barrows-Friedman (formerly of KPFA) is an associate editor.

Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) is an ecumenical organization seeking justice and peace in the Holy Land through non-violence, education, and action. It offers many resources, including a list of Palestinian speakers, downloadable materials, and resource guides.

If Americans Knew , founded by journalist Alison Weir, conducts research and disseminates information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. foreign policy regarding the Middle East, and media coverage of these issues.

Investigate: A Project of the American Friends Service Committee has a database for searching human rights violations hidden in investments. Palestine/Israel is one of the regions it covers.

The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions is a human rights and peace organization established in 1997 by Jeff Halper to end Israel’s occupation over Palestinians, with an emphasis on stopping house demolitions.

Jewish Voice for Peace supports nonviolent efforts in the U.S. and Israel/Palestine to end Israel’s occupation of Palestine and expand human and civil rights. Is very active in the BDS movement. Members come from all faiths (and no faith).

Jonathan CookCook is a Nazareth-based journalist whose articles have appeared in newspapers and online sites, including the International Herald Tribune, Al-Jazeera, and The Electronic Intifada. He also writes a blog.

Mondoweiss is a news organization that provides information about Palestine, Israel, and the U.S., much of it from a progressive Jewish perspective. It focuses on news, opinion, culture, activism, and media analysis.

National Students for Justice in Palestine is an organization with over 200 autonomous Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) groups on university and college campuses in the U.S. and Canada. Chapters focus on education, awareness, and critical analysis.

Palestinian BDS National Committee. In 2005, over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations called for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law and universal human rights. The site provides information about BDS campaigns and calls to action.

Palestine Legal “Protects the civil and constitutional rights of people in the U.S. who speak out for Palestinian freedom.”

The Parents Circle Families Forum is a joint Palestinian/Israeli organization of over 600 families, all of whom have lost a close family member as a result of the conflict. Their focus is on reconciliation and dialogue.

Sabeel is an ecumenical liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians that is inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and works for justice and peace in Palestine. It has branches/friends around the world, including Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA).

Tree of Life Educational Fund (TOL) was established by the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, CT, to provide cross-cultural and transnational travel experiences and other educational events.

US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI) is a U.S. campaign that is focused on a boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions and is a response to the call of Palestinian civil society to join the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

US Campaign for Palestinian Rights is a coalition of about 400 groups working to alter U.S. policy toward Palestine/Israel, so that the U.S. supports human rights, international law, and equality. It is spearheading BDS campaigns.

Visualizing Palestine, established in 2012, promotes justice and equality in Palestine/Israel, this site provides data-driven visuals about Palestine. Topics include church divestment, musicians for Palestine, child detention, and resistance from a distance.

Who Profits: The Israeli Occupation Industry is a small, independent Israeli research project dedicated to exposing the commercial involvement of Israeli and international companies in Israel’s control over Palestinian and Syrian land.

Zochrot is an Israeli nonprofit founded in 2002 whose goal is to promote awareness of the Nakba and the resulting exodus of Palestinians from their homes in 1948. Zochrot is Hebrew for remembering.

• Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum is one of the few politicians who is willing to speak out about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians (she has sponsored three bills on this) and we invited her to speak in the webinar. She was unable to join us, but she sent us a letter of support, which you can read here.

• “This is what makes peace between the Israelis and Palestinians impossible” (LA Times, Feb. 25, 2021)
  In this letter NorCal Sabeel member, Barbara Erickson, focuses on how U.S. funding of Israel jeopardizes peace in Palestine/Israel.  You can read her letter here.  (Barbara’s letter is the second in the Letters section of this edition.)

• Read a letter to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (September 28, 2020) by NorCal Sabeel member, Therese Mughannam-Walrath, about Arab countries signing a "peace deal" with Israel, a betrayal of Palestinians. (Therese’s letter is the fourth in the Letters section of this edition.)