"Made Public" is a meticulous exploration into the fate of Palestinian photographs captured in Israeli archives. These images, taken from Palestinian homes, fallen Palestinian individuals, or aerial views of Palestinian villages, offer a glimpse into Palestine's history and the life of its people. The book showcases high-quality, rare photographs, including aerial shots that reconstruct the landscapes of destroyed Palestinian villages.
Through memory and historiography, historian Hillel Cohen traces the events of 1929 in a manner both associative and highly calculated. He extends his geographic and chronological reach and uses a non-linear reconstruction of events to call for a thorough reconsideration of cause and effect. Sifting through Arab and Hebrew sources—many rarely, if ever, examined before—Cohen reflects on the attitudes and perceptions of Jews and Arabs who experienced the events and, most significantly, on the memories they bequeathed to later generations. The result is a multifaceted and revealing examination of a formative series of episodes that will intrigue historians, political scientists, and others interested in understanding the essence—and the very beginning—of what has been an intractable conflict.
In his book, Uri Ben Eliezer examines the evolution of Israeli warfare, marking the emergence of "Israel's New Wars." He challenges traditional notions of war legitimacy, scrutinizing the siege of Arafat at the Al-Muqata’a and the shifting role of high-ranking officers in the Israeli army. Ben Eliezer explores the influence of Israeli social groups and organizations on the conflict and highlights two key events that shaped contemporary wars: the Oslo Agreements and the Al-Aqsa Intifada. He argues that Israel's "third road" approach, characterized by intimidation, segregation, and separation, neglects the Palestinian struggle for national aspirations and legitimizes continued occupation, violence, and war.
"The Arab Jews: A Postcolonial Reading of Nationalism, Religion, and Ethnicity" by Yehuda Shenhav, translated into Arabic by Yaseen Al-Sayyed, is a substantial work comprising 372 pages. This book serves as a preeminent and authoritative reference in the exploration of the identity and existence of Jews, who are often designated by Zionism as "Mizrahim" or Orientals. Notably, Shenhav consistently refers to these Mizrahi Jews as Arab Jews.
"Holocaust, Resurrection, and Nakba," by Yair Auron and translated into Arabic by As’ad Zoabi, offers a poignant exploration of three key historical events: the Holocaust, the “birth of Israel” (referred to as "resurrection"), and the Nakba. Auron, through his research, uncovered more massacres during the Nakba than are commonly acknowledged in Israeli Jewish society. He observes that many Israelis struggle to confront these realities, resorting to suppression, denial, or retroactive justification of the state's actions.
Ex-Libris" by Gish Amit, and translated into Arabic by Ala Hlehel, is a critical examination of the appropriation of cultural assets by the Israeli National Library. A significant portion of the book delves into the 1948 looting of tens of thousands of Palestinian books, documents, and manuscripts from libraries in Jerusalem.
"Stranger at Home," edited by Rawda Kana'ane and Izis Nassir, and introduced by Leila Abu Lughod, is a book that provides a profound exploration of the reality of Palestinian women who live in Israel. This insightful book spans 368 pages is a compelling work authored by a new generation of Palestinian academic women and Israeli citizens who offer unique perspectives that are distinct from those who were displaced.