PALESTINE

This young readers’ adaptation of The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine (2019) offers a blend of personal history and political analysis, examining how a century of policy and conflict shaped the region.

Khalidi shows that the establishment of Israel on lands that had been Palestinian resulted from a series of calculated political and imperial interventions. He surveys Palestine’s history from the late Ottoman period to the present, structuring the narrative around six “declarations of war” beginning in 1917. Khalidi focuses on the forces behind the occupation, tracing how external powers have enabled the ongoing dispossession of Palestinians. Pulling from archival sources and personal testimonies, he uses his family’s deep-rooted presence in the region, dating back to the seventh century, to illustrate how political policy and “an influx of foreign settlers” reshaped daily life. The account follows developments from the collapse of Ottoman rule, through the Balfour Declaration, to Israeli statehood, showing how each phase intensified displacement of and violence toward Palestinians. Khalidi presents this history in clear language, unpacking complex terminology and historical concepts and organizing the material into short, clearly titled sections, making the detailed content accessible. The sequential structure helps readers follow shifting political trends while staying focused on the main topic. Spot art portraits, photos, maps, and text boxes add depth, and the visual design is inviting. Khalidi offers a compelling introduction for those seeking to understand Palestine’s political history and the enduring legacy of occupation.

Extensively documented and deeply personal; an essential read.