The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty: The Husaynis 1700 - 1948

by Ilan Pappé

In this deeply researched political biography, Ilan Pappe traces the rise of the Husayni family of Jerusalem, who dominated Palestinian history from the early 1700s until the second half of the twentieth century. Viewing this sweeping saga through the prism of one family, the book sheds new light on crucial events--the invasion of Palestine by Napoleon, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, World War I, western colonialism, and the advent of Zionism--and provides an unforgettable picture of the Palestinian tragedy in its entirety. "The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty" is the history of Palestinian politics before national movements and political parties: at the height of the Husaynis' influence, positions in Jerusalem and Palestine could only be obtained through the family's power base. In telling the story of one family, the book highlights the continuity between periods customarily divided into pre-modern and modern, pre-Zionist and Zionist, illuminating history as it was actually lived.

Genres: History, Middle East, Nonfiction, Politics

568 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Ilan Pappé is a professor with the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter in the UK, director of the university's European Centre for Palestine Studies, co-director of the Exeter Centre for Ethno-Political Studies, and political activist. He was formerly a senior lecturer in political science at the University of Haifa (1984–2007) and chair of the Emil Touma Institute for Palestinian and Israeli Studies in Haifa (2000–2008).

Pappé is one of Israel's "New Historians" who, since the release of pertinent British and Israeli government documents in the early 1980s, have been rewriting the history of Israel's creation in 1948, and the corresponding expulsion or flight of 700,000 Palestinians in the same year. He has written that the expulsions were not decided on an ad hoc basis, as other historians have argued, but constituted the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, in accordance with Plan Dalet, drawn up in 1947 by Israel's future leaders. He blames the creation of Israel for the lack of peace in the Middle East, arguing that Zionism is more dangerous than Islamic militancy, and has called for an international boycott of Israeli academics.

His work has been both supported and criticized by other historians. Before he left Israel in 2008, he had been condemned in the Knesset, Israel's parliament; a minister of education had called for him to be sacked; his photograph had appeared in a newspaper at the centre of a target; and he had received several death threats.

Reviews

[Rana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a devastating read knowing what would become not just of the Husaynis but of all of Palestine. The second half of the book which details the events preceding the Nakba and the Nakba itself gave a very interesting look into the political and economic climate of the time and of the Palestinian aristocracy and their relationships with Europe, America, and the rest of the Middle East. So much of the book covers history that is rarely talked about but must never be forgotten. Also includes pictures that I had never seen before that show what Palestine was like before the Nakba. Another gem from Ilan Pappe.

[Sakaguchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

He is truely brave histrian.and he knows the true enemy of Israel occupation.As he himselef is a son of the Holocoust suviver.For sure he knows who so called Jews corporate with Nazi.
Then he always tries to make the bridge to really resolve the problem.As activist myself we simply call them seek the truely peace.
His eyes are as always,getting even more shaper line by line until the End.Then left to us Responsibility who live out side of the places,once Edward Said called.especially the people live in so called developed countries.

[Abdelrahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

يتتبع الكتاب تاريخ واحد من أهم العائلات المقدسية الفلسطينية عبر ثلاثة قرون وصولًا لاندثارها من على الساحة السياسية الفلسطينية الفاعلة، بعد أن عايشت عائلة الحسيني أهم المفاصل التاريخية في تاريخ فلسطين الحديث وصولًا للتطهير العرقي الصهيوني عام 1948.

من ناحية نظرية يحاول المؤرخ إلان باببه تتبع مسيرة عائلة أو كتابة تاريخ عائلة لا من منظور اجتماعي داخلي من علاقات أسرية وخلافه، بل من خلال تتبع تأثيرها ونشاطها السياسي على المستويات الوطنية المحلية والإقليمية العربية والدولية، وقد وفق كثيرًا في ذلك باعتماده على مراجع دراسية متنوعة جدًا وثرية للغاية.
على مستوى شخصي قراءة الكتاب عملية مؤلمة للغاية خاصة الفصول المؤدية للنكبة؛ إن كمية الخلافات الفلسطينية الداخلية تحرق الأعصاب والعمى المميت للارستقراطية الفلسطينية وانفصال عدد لا بأس منهم عن واقع الحياة اليومية والركض وراء المكاسب الشخصية وتصفية الحسابات يضيء على الكثير من مناطق العمى في تلك الفترة والتي ساهمت في الهزيمة وما زالت.
إن معالجة إلان باببه لعلاقة الحاج أمين الحسيني بالنازية من أهم مساهمات الكتاب خاصة في تفنيد بعض إدعاءات المؤرخين الإسرائيلين المؤدلجين وذلك عبر تقديم قراءة تاريخية تأخذ في عين الحسبان مختلف الحسابات السياسية لتلك المرحلة وتعقد المشهد الفلسطيني والعربي ككل، وإلى مدى وصلت هلوسات الحاج أمين الحسيني.

إجمالًا الكتاب يستحق القراءة من دون شك لكل مهتم بالشأن الفلسطيني أو العربي في تلك المرحلة أو دراسات الاستعمار عمومًا، ويفتح الباب أمام دراسات كثيرة ومصادر تاريخية في غاية الأهمية، وبعضها غير متاح لجمهور الباحثين العرب مثل الأرشيف الإسرائيلي.

ختامًا، يضيء الكتاب على مشهد معقد من العلاقات الاجتماعية التي ربطت الفلسطينين بالمستعمرين الصهاينة منذ بدأوا استيطان فلسطين في بداية القرن العشرين، وكيفية تعامل الأعيان معهم بين شد ورخي، في صورة توضح مدى ضعف إدراك العديد منهم بمدى خطورة المشروع الصهيوني والاستهانة به لحد مميت.