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Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians by Edward W. Said, Noam Chomsky
mdaalder's review against another edition
4.0
This book is almost as relevant today as when it was first published, in the immediate aftermath of the 1982 Lebanon War. Chomsky's account of the war itself is as vivid as it is horrifying - his research and uncovering of important local and dissenting voices greatly adds to the scholarship on the war. The fact that the war was largely supported even by liberal Zionists at the time, and is now regularly denigrated by those selfsame liberal Zionists illustrates the way history changes, and is worth reflecting on in the modern context.
The American media's contortions to avoid criticizing Israel are fascinating, especially when the Israeli media was honest and upfront about what was occurring (in some cases). This certainly still occurs today, although perhaps to a lesser extent. Chomsky's other descriptions of the US-Israel relationship are illuminating as well.
Likewise, the demonization - and dehumanization - of the Palestinians continues today in both the American and Israeli media. Chomsky stresses repeatedly that the PLO had at the time offered to negotiate with Israel, desiring mutual recognition and a two-state solution. It was, he argues, this very trend of moderation that Israel saw as most threatening. In Chomsky's view, the Lebanon war was carried out to smash the Palestinian state-within-a-state in Lebanon for two reasons: first, to try and break the PLO's popular support from the Palestinian people; and second, to push the PLO back to resorting to terrorism.
As a small note, the entire discussion about whether or not the PLO must recognize Israel as a state is fascinating, in that now that the Palestinians have done so the goalposts are moved - now Israel must be recognized as a Jewish state. Nowhere in Chomsky's book is this latter demand enunciated, indicating to me that it was not a concern at all of the Israelis and American Zionists of the time.
This book is wide-ranging and, like much of Chomsky's work, it can be difficult to find the thread at times, but it's still a solid read even today.
The American media's contortions to avoid criticizing Israel are fascinating, especially when the Israeli media was honest and upfront about what was occurring (in some cases). This certainly still occurs today, although perhaps to a lesser extent. Chomsky's other descriptions of the US-Israel relationship are illuminating as well.
Likewise, the demonization - and dehumanization - of the Palestinians continues today in both the American and Israeli media. Chomsky stresses repeatedly that the PLO had at the time offered to negotiate with Israel, desiring mutual recognition and a two-state solution. It was, he argues, this very trend of moderation that Israel saw as most threatening. In Chomsky's view, the Lebanon war was carried out to smash the Palestinian state-within-a-state in Lebanon for two reasons: first, to try and break the PLO's popular support from the Palestinian people; and second, to push the PLO back to resorting to terrorism.
As a small note, the entire discussion about whether or not the PLO must recognize Israel as a state is fascinating, in that now that the Palestinians have done so the goalposts are moved - now Israel must be recognized as a Jewish state. Nowhere in Chomsky's book is this latter demand enunciated, indicating to me that it was not a concern at all of the Israelis and American Zionists of the time.
This book is wide-ranging and, like much of Chomsky's work, it can be difficult to find the thread at times, but it's still a solid read even today.
pivic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
candelibri's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Chonky Chomsky strikes again with a vividly detailed accounting of (mainly earlier 1980s) relations between the US, Israel and Palestine.
I learned a lot about Lebanon’s treatment at the hands of the Israeli government that I did not know before and the old adage “history repeats itself”? Well, Israel hit the copy-paste button when it came to mirroring the treatment of Lebanon and the treatment of the Palestinians.
If you have the time, I highly suggest this tome of a deep dive, realizing that it is extremely academic at times but as a reader, you will be the better for it.
I learned a lot about Lebanon’s treatment at the hands of the Israeli government that I did not know before and the old adage “history repeats itself”? Well, Israel hit the copy-paste button when it came to mirroring the treatment of Lebanon and the treatment of the Palestinians.
If you have the time, I highly suggest this tome of a deep dive, realizing that it is extremely academic at times but as a reader, you will be the better for it.
wcullen65's review against another edition
5.0
Actually bought this for a friend (I think this is the fourth or fifth one I e bought fornothers). Hands down the best and most accessible introduction to the Middle East Crisis.
baumrinr's review against another edition
4.0
Like many Jewish people I knew growing up, I was raised in a liberal household with Zionist relatives and family in Israel. I’d heard the discussions of terrorism against Israelis, the need for Jews to have a homeland, and my own family’s story of the holocaust. Palestinians’ rights were not much discussed.
This book is excellent for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the relationship between Palestinians, Israelis and Americans. Chomsky’s highly detailed account, informed by personal visits, official documents, internal records, private diaries, and published articles shows that the history of the deep double standard according to which Israelis are assumed to have the same rights as the U.S. to self-determination and regional aggression/terrorism, while Palestinians, accorded to “rejectionist doctrine” are denied the right to self-determination.
Chomsky’s detailed account of Israel’s collective punishments of Palestinians in the territories and the Peace for Galilee mission in Lebanon are expertly compared to the Nazi conquests in Eastern Europe and the Russian pogroms that precipitated a mass exodus of Jews from Europe. The detailed report of Israeli atrocities is systematically compared to U.S. reporting and commentary to reveal what could only be described as a highly sophisticated and elaborate propaganda system that dismisses outright any critique of U.S./Israeli rejectionist doctrine.
The book is heavily focused on the invasion of Lebanon and is brief in its treatment of the history of Zionism and the Palestinians before 1948. It is however an excellent primer in understanding U.S. involvement in the conflict and the modern military and diplomatic history of the region from 1948 until 1999. I recommend it to anyone interested in this topic. I don’t find myself agreeing with the whole thing, but few thinkers write with the sharpness and encyclopedic knowledge of Chomsky. You will definitely learn a lot.
This book is excellent for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the relationship between Palestinians, Israelis and Americans. Chomsky’s highly detailed account, informed by personal visits, official documents, internal records, private diaries, and published articles shows that the history of the deep double standard according to which Israelis are assumed to have the same rights as the U.S. to self-determination and regional aggression/terrorism, while Palestinians, accorded to “rejectionist doctrine” are denied the right to self-determination.
Chomsky’s detailed account of Israel’s collective punishments of Palestinians in the territories and the Peace for Galilee mission in Lebanon are expertly compared to the Nazi conquests in Eastern Europe and the Russian pogroms that precipitated a mass exodus of Jews from Europe. The detailed report of Israeli atrocities is systematically compared to U.S. reporting and commentary to reveal what could only be described as a highly sophisticated and elaborate propaganda system that dismisses outright any critique of U.S./Israeli rejectionist doctrine.
The book is heavily focused on the invasion of Lebanon and is brief in its treatment of the history of Zionism and the Palestinians before 1948. It is however an excellent primer in understanding U.S. involvement in the conflict and the modern military and diplomatic history of the region from 1948 until 1999. I recommend it to anyone interested in this topic. I don’t find myself agreeing with the whole thing, but few thinkers write with the sharpness and encyclopedic knowledge of Chomsky. You will definitely learn a lot.
bile_keurig's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of names and dates and sarcasm in here. It took me a long time to read it, because I would read 50-100 pages then read 1-3 other books to break up the dry recitation of atrocities and opinion columnists.
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