Posted: Apr 29, 2021 4:47 pm
- F96AA1AF-07D5-442D-8170-06D435662D63.jpeg (94.29 KiB) Viewed 1566 times
So here we are in the Israel - Palestine conflict and seeing the conflict from both sides. The book is an award winner and shortlisted for more and I can understand why.
It is the story of a Bassam Aramin and Rami Elhanan and the deaths of their daughters Abir and Smadar, one with a rubber bullet to the back of the head and the other by a suicide bomber. We look at how these two men meet, their growing friendship and their campaigning for peace, which is still ongoing. We learn of the daily obstacles that Palestinians face just going to work or travelling about. The check points. The random strip searches, then having to squat over a floor mirror. The way 20 day eviction notices would be put under stones so inhabitants wouldn’t see them then the soldiers arriving to empty the dwellings into skips. At meetings the disbelief from Israelis when they hear these things and the hostility Israelis give to Rami. Having to persuade one of his sons not to go seeking vengeance. And the death threats against him.
The book is divided into 1001 chapters but many are single sentences. The subject matter covers many things like birds and their migrations, Francois Mitterrands last meal and how a rubber bullet is made. It all reads so strangely but all the apparent disparities come together and make sense.
The story has been much written about and a film made. I highly recommend it. Although the subject matter is depressing a sense of optimism comes through and the sense that the human spirit will win through in the end.