A Request Re: History of Palestine/Israel area

[soundgarden]

Can someone please recommend me something with a deep account of the history for this area, preferably beginning during Judaism's infancy up to the founding of Israel.  Much of my knowledge of the area is within the past century.

I am searching through some places and it seems all texts or documentaries lean heavily to one side (I am watching a documentary right now that is so blatantly biased for Israel for example).

Note: this is not a Israel/Palestine discussion thread, just a request thread.

Thanks

[emindead]

Want an interesting read on something Pro-Palestinian?

Try Edward Said: Orientalism

[ack44]

Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter

jk

[Adami]

I don't know any books off hand, but the amount of Bias that will be in this thread should be fun.

[ack44]

I once asked my aunt for a book about the 10 lost tribes (I was mainly interested in the Hebrews that came to Eastern Asia). I ended up with a book with a very weird ideology. According to the author, a large portion of European countries were "of the Israelite seed of Abraham" (Britain and France included but not Germany) meaning their origins were largely Hebrew. Also these nations "were those who mainly conducted European colonialist policies. The overall effects of colonialism, in most cases, were very beneficial - despite claims to the contrary." Then, "Even today these peoples (the supposedly Israelite descendant nations) remain the only real morally motivated advancers of international justice in this world." 

The most amuzing part of the book, though, was the authors explanation for Christians support of today's Israel; "By 'Hebrew' roots, the Christians intend the sources of their religious faith but we would say that an inner arousal of their ancestral Hebraic sources is also a factor." So basically, the good guys of the world are those with Israelite blood in them.

/rant

[PlaysLikeMyung]

I'm gonna ask you again, Ack

What the hell do you have against Israel?

[ack44]

Strange Jewish ideology ≠ Israel

[Adami]

The christians who support Israel do so due to prophecy they need fulfilled before jesus comes back.


There's really no denying that part.

[ack44]

Exactly. You can't help but get a sense that they feel the need to help God along just in case the prophecy isn't fulfilled. I'm pretty sure the idea that Israel's comeback was prophesied in Ezekiel is one that became mainstream only years after the formation of modern day Israel though.

[Adami]

Exactly. You can't help but get a sense that they feel the need to help God along just in case the prophecy isn't fulfilled. I'm pretty sure the idea that Israel's comeback was prophesied in Ezekiel is one that became mainstream only years after the formation of modern day Israel though.

Why would you feel that way?

[ack44]

Referring to which part of my statement?

[Adami]

Referring to which part of my statement?

Any of it.

[Super Dude]

Strange Jewish ideology ≠ Israel

Actually Zionism is just a modernized, ideologically-based incarnation of a cultural value in the Jewish culture itself, which is the "3000 year dream" of returning to their ancient homeland in Israel.  It just so happened that in the 19th century a certain ideological movement called nationalism was becoming popular among displaced and/or colonialized peoples, so assimilated European Jews decided to refit a cultural aspiration into a legitimate nationalist movement.

As for the OP, I found this website called Mideastweb.org while writing a paper about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this past semester.  It's a pretty balanced source, although some of its analysis of the more recent conflict can be a little pro-Israeli (which in my opinion is not a problem, but take that as you will).  If you want to look at some books, Benny Morris is a great author to start with.

[ack44]

Okay, but I don't think what I described was Zionism. Though related.