Bloodlines

by Meital Yaniv

bloodlines is an epic and intimate dive into the israeli apartheid regime from the perspective of an ex-israeli/ex-zionist soldier. Born into a sephardic and ashkenazi lineage of in/famous war heroes and pillars for the state of israel, meital yaniv traces their paternal family narrative from surviving the Holocaust of the second world war to migrating to Palestine and their subsequent indoctrination as zionist colonizers and defenders of the state of israel. yaniv directs our attention to the cycles of history and how genocide not only repeats but grows monstrously in the crevices of state belonging. Through a bold and radical poetics that unsettles language and definition, they foreground vulnerability while traversing the nuance of voice and inner forms of address. yaniv unravels the coordinates of belonging to write in the fissures of israeli identity. bloodlines is an invitation to contemporary israelis to unstitch the military uniform from their bodies and to reckon with their atrocities against generations of Palestinian lives and livelihoods. It is also a demand that the ongoing catastrophes in Palestine end now. With uncompromising courage and in lucid manifestation, yaniv urges israelis to join them in drowning in the wounds of their ancestors as well as the wounds they’ve inflicted, and in so doing, bring the state of israel and israeli identity to “a loving and caring death.”

Genres: Judaism, Nonfiction

418 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Kian Lavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

few books have left me speechless like this book did. all i can really say is… this was profound on so many levels.

had me thinking about my identity as a jew, as a persian, as a second generation american. i finished the book through so many tears and blubbering and i am so glad i had an ice cold body of water to plunge myself after in.

i think any jew, any ally, any friend who wants to steep themselves in poetry and wisdom and some deep deep humanity will love this book. i loved this book.

thank you meital.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most important book I read this year. A blend of prose driven personal and cultural history and deep poetry all culminating in an incredibly truthful view about the genocide and erasure of Palestine, the forces driving oppressive violence, and the humanity that can be driven from you by generational trauma and institutionalized propaganda.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and important.

I ordered a copy after hearing the author on the Upstream Podcast, and when it arrived I ordered this book after hearing the author on a podcast. I was taken aback by the page count, but 246 pages are filled w/ names (when known) of Palestinians murdered since 10/7/23; the author's story cannot be told without those pages.

[Cúrcuma · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you meital for your poetry, your devotion, your sacrifice.
thank you for holding me.
thank you for holding you.
thank you for sharing your blood through these pages, i've been touched and i've been changed.

[Garen Karnikian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the most powerful books I've ever read.

[Katya Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful book about the necessity to acknowledge and grieve in order to break cycles of violence. It is both personal and universal ~ i’m very grateful this book exists. free palestine 🇵🇸

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly brave