../book-review-lemon-tree
Two paths, one home
Published:
Overview
After the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, the American media I consume essentially painted a picture of Israel getting ravaged by senseless terrorists. That was actually my mental model throughout most of 2023--terrorists just want to terrorize Israel for no reason, and Israel is in the right.
I started questioning this poor mental model after my partner asked me some pointed questions. I needed a more nuanced view of the region and the major conflict that plagues it. So, I started reading The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan.
Now, my views have changed greatly. While I don't condone the attack in 2023, I have a better understanding of why there are such attacks in the region, and why such attacks--from both Israeli and Palestinian sides--will likely continue for the next couple generations.
The perspectives of Palestinians and Israelis are very different. Neither side is truly willing to compromise for reasons I mention below.
Perspectives collide
First, let's start with the Israeli perspective. There was no Israel until mid 20th century. However, there were Jews scattered around the world, many with a fresh first-hand memory of the holocaust. Understandably, Jews wanted a safe place they could call home that was truly theirs--one they could run and defend; one where they wouldn't be cast aside by the non-Jew majority. The Zionist movement laid claim to then-Palestine as the new home for Jews, despite being offered other areas of the globe such as parts of Africa. Striving for Zion--Jerusalem and the larger land of Israel--is a key belief in Judaism. Thus, first Zionists and later other Jews started flocking to then-Palestine. Creation of Israel was a part of a UN plan, which the Arabs had rejected. Israelis and Arabs got in a violent conflict because of this rejection, and it ultimately led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. It is important to note that neighboring Arab states were also involved--the 1948 and 1967 wars are partly what led to Israel controlling so much more territory than the original UN plan. The key point here is that many Jews, with fresh memories of the Holocaust, sought a safe homeland in the historical land of Israel.
Now, let's switch over to the Palestinian side. Palestinian Arabs had been living in the region for at least the last couple hundred years. Some Jews lived with them peacefully too. After many Palestinians got evicted by the Israelis, a lot of the Palestinians wanted to go back to their homes, and that's what they strived for instead of accepting the loss of 80% of their land to Israel. Palestinians wouldn't--couldn't--accept the loss of their land, and their houses and memories there. Solutions from Israel and the west often proposed forming two-states. The Palestinians found this unfair, as the proposals often left them with inadequate or undesirable or non-contiguous, fragmented land. A lot of Palestinians also believe in "right of return", meaning the right to go back to their homes that are now either occupied by Israelis or have been burned down. Israel has repeatedly rejected this right, fearing it would threaten its demographic Jewish majority.
Conclusion
While the road to peace remains elusive, understanding both sides’ deeply rooted grievances is essential to any future solution. I am glad I read into this topic.
Note that I mostly focus on what happened starting with the 20th century. There's more history in the region preceding the 20th century that explains why Jews are attached to present-day Israel. Above, I just bucket it under "striving for Zion" as a religious belief.
The points I mention in this blog aren't just derived from reading The Lemon Tree. I also did some light research to answer some questions the books did not answer.