Gaza: Preparing for Dawn

by Donald Macintyre

A coastal civilisation open to the world. A flourishing port on a major international trading route. This was Gaza's past. Can it be its future?

Today, Gaza is home to a uniquely imprisoned people, most unable to travel to the West Bank, let alone Israel, where tens of thousands once worked, and unable to flee in wartime. Trapped inside a crucible of conflict, the surprise is that so many of them remain courageous, outspoken and steadfast. From refugee camps to factories struggling under economic stranglehold and bombardment, Donald Macintyre reveals Gaza's human tragedy through the stories of the ordinary people who live and work there. He portrays the suffering through siege and war, the failings - including those of the international community - that have seen opportunities for peace pass by and the fragile, lingering hope that Gaza, with its creativity and resilience, can be part of a better future for the Middle East.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle East, Israel, Politics, Historical, War

365 pages, Paperback

First published October 26, 2017

About the author

Donald Macintyre is a British freelance journalist and author. He has worked for a number of leading British newspapers including The Daily Express, The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Independent. In 2011 he won the Next Century Foundation's Peace Through Media Award.

Reviews

[Elsbeth Kwant]

I think I can fairly say that reading is my preferred coping strategy. Sometimes you meet a person you really like; we met a few times a year in a mutual board. She left that board on account of the war in Gaza and since posted she lives between the river and the sea. I have so many questions and am sad not to see her anymore.

I know I cannot start to understand the pain in Gaza just by reading a book, but at least it helps ease my feeling of hopelessness. Macintyre writes an overview of the situation that, at least to me seems balanced. Starting with the broken promise of the Balfour declaration - it promised a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, but without prejudicing the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine. Perhaps this was a contradiction in terms from the start, but at least it shows the Gaza-conflict was made in Europe, as Eugene Rogan is quoted to say. Secondary European trauma plays a part in the unwillingness of European countries to have a constructive foreign policy, independent of America. Israel's war of independence is the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe), and the other way round. A two party state has been on the brink of being an acceptable solution for all concerned, but has foundered on the rocks of extremism time and again. The cynical Israeli hawks' view that having a war in Gaza is like 'mowing the grass' shows a telling acceptance of the unacceptable.

The conclusion contains a reference to the biblical story of Samson, which played out in Gaza. His betrayal and capture by the Philistines was revenged by the killing of their elite in what is one of the first recorded suicide attacks. Attack and counterattack at a terrible cost to all. Macintyre finally proposes the international community should give Gaza back its dignity, as something that has not been tried before.

It will take strong leadership to make this happen. It is fascinating to read with a focus, for once, about a situation that has been a backdrop to my whole life. From the Oslo talks to the current horrors. The Good Friday Agreements in Ireland still hold, even through all the pain inherited there; it seems possible to end even generations of conflict. I pray for Gaza this will come too.

[Ashraf · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A year after the war, Hilmi Samouni was spending most of his time pottering round the house, helping to look after his seemingly self-possessed eleven-year-old sister Mona. She showed me her artwork, inspired by her memories of the morning of 5 January 2009 and encouraged by a psychologist treating her for PTSD. 'This is me cleaning the face of my mother who is dead. This is my father who was hit in the head and his brains came out. This is my dead sister-in-law. This is my sister taking the son from my sister-in-law.."

Every few pages of this book introduced renewed heartache.

Amongst the descriptions of countless atrocities, the author also devotes time to show people trying to live an ordinary life and achieve their own ambitions in very difficult conditions. The marathoner training for the olympics and the kids seeing the beach for the first time were particular highlights.

[Owen Chengun · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book that details Palestinian history till the current day. In depth research recounting the authors time and experiences spent in Gaza, well balanced and exceptionally informative. Having been uneducated prior to this book, I felt immense sorrow for Palestinians. 5*!

[Amaan Nath · Rating 5 out of 5]

A painful but essential read for a deeper understanding into this conflict - Macintyre provides a relatively balanced overview, interspersed by real accounts of the resilient survivors of the Gaza Strip. 

Rooting this conflict in Britain’s strategic interests following the Ottoman collapse, Macintyre naturally situates it in the failed promise of the Balfour Declaration, as promises for a national home for the Jewish people were never reconciled with protection for the civil and religious rights of the non-jews in Palestine. In denying Arab independence from ottoman rule while promising a Jewish homeland, the British had already laid the roots of Arab resentment to a Jewish population understandably escaping European persecution.

A few decisive events that should be noted:

The Oslo Accords of 1993

Although looking hopeful at the time, never gave Palestine an equal footing. Claiming it would initiate a withdrawal process initially from Gaza and then other cities, Israel didn’t define how much of the West Bank it would withdraw from, didn’t mention the return of the 1948 refugees or the 10,000 Palestinian prisoners. The accords would never truly satisfy Palestinian demands for recognition, and ultimately fuelled the rise of extremism. 

Sharon’s disengagement process in the early 2000s 

Ostensibly seemed promising for the Palestinian cause, but as the Israel National Security Council put it: disengagement was meant to separate Israel from Palestinians politically and for security purposes, which required ECONOMIC separation. This aggressive Israeli policy of economic separation would prove incredibly destructive to any future of reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. 

Hamas 2006 election Win 

Hamas’ rise as a violent resistance conducting suicide bombings was obviously a massive concern, but its landmark win in the 2006 Elections was a chance for progress. After pushing for democratic elections, the US and Israel threw its toys out of the pram when it didn’t like the result. Interestingly, there was no effort even to engage with Hamas’s political wing, as the UK had done previously with Hezbollah. The EU ultimately cut off aid to the PA, worsening its existing economic turmoil - and this only increased Hamas’ attraction and dependence on Iran. 

The Economic Blockade of 2007

Another huge blow for what was left of the Gazan economy as Israel blocked movement of goods in and out of Gaza - this still continues today. This collectively punishes the entire Gaza population and only makes the appeal of Hamas stronger. 



Ultimately I agree with Macintyre’s insistence that the international community have not done enough, need to do more and can do more in resolving this conflict. There were signs of this with Wolfensohn’s efforts to revive greenhouses and veg production, but this wasn’t backed enough - lifting this economic siege and restoring business is vital. 

Macintyre’s proposal for the EU to differentiate trade between Israel proper and Israel settlements would be an interesting strategy to exert pressure on the occupation - for which the onus is on the international community. The Arab League also has a part to play, and Macintyre insists this isn’t a zero-sum game insofar as the Arab League can establish a good economic and political relationship with Israel if it ends the occupation. This is particularly in the interest of the Sunni Arab States in the face of Iran who is currently at the forefront of this conflict with attacks by the Iranian backed Houthi’s continuing in the Red Sea shipping lanes. However, the unfortunate and sad truth is that the events of October 7th appear to have made anything close to Macintyre’s recommendations an ever more unlikely option in the near future. 

To end, this conflict is fundamentally unique insofar as behind it lies the legacy of the Holocaust and Jewish fears must never be ignored. However, the Palestinians should not have to live the rest of their lives as ‘victims of the victims’ (Edward Said) and with Gazan deaths following October 7th at almost 25,000 as I’m writing, this must not become a perennial existence for a people that have already suffered so much. 

[Andy Lopata · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished reading this 2017 political and social history of Gaza by Donald Macintyre. Such a tough but important read, I had my opinions about the conditions in Gaza, the role of Hamas and the reasons for the conflict there. But this helped me to broaden my understanding and bring to life the people, the places and the communities that make up the territory.

I was looking for a balanced view of the conflict. Zionist supporters will, I’m sure, rush to point out that this isn’t that book. But Macintyre makes a powerful case and doesn’t point the finger only at successive Israeli governments but also at Fatah, Hamas and politicians across the western world. The victims, however, are clearly ordinary citizens who have lived horrific lives as the result of power battles elsewhere. They are the focus of this book.

Events over the last few weeks seem to have destroyed what little hope was shared in the conclusion to this book and it’s heartbreaking to think about how many of the characters I’ve met in its pages will have been killed in recent days. But it’s essential to see the human side of this tragedy - on both sides - and not to just rush to stand behind one flag or another.

Maybe a miracle will happen one day and the ordinary people of Israel and Palestine can emerge victorious over the extremists on both sides who keep them apart rather than living alongside each other peacefully and in mutual prosperity.

One day.

[Dave Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I looked around for some time to find a highly recommended book that would help me to learn about this 70+ year conflict and found this. So how did Donald do?

The short answer is very well. He has spent a lot of time over a long time, seen all aspects of life in Gaza, and knows many of the real people in region. He helped me see the history of the situation and how us Brits have to shoulder the responsibility for being the catalyst. It's, not unsurprisingly, a hard read. Chapter after chapter of tragedies and despair yet one thing comes through it all. The resilience within the Palestinian people. They are smart, determined, educated, innovative, entrepreneurial, funny, and above all optimistic. I am left in no doubt that given a chance they would be an economic powerhouse nation.

My only mild critiques are that it's readability does not always flow easily and of course its representing the Palestinian position not Israli.

I was struck that the vast majority of Gazans just want to get on. One person featured in the book just put his head in his hands and said to no-one in particular "I am so tired of this".

My recommendation is don't read the headlines, do read books instead and this is well worth a read

[Peter Thew · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book on a difficult subject. Although this edition was published in 2018, the conditions described still persist, except the events of the last three months will have made them infinitely worse. McIntyre was Middle East correspondent for The Independent in the period leading up to the book's original publication and he has clearly visited Gaza and has faced its issues at first hand. Whilst the Hamas/Fatah split has made a bad situation worse, the intransigence of the Israeli government and the refusal of the USA and EU to even speak with Hamas have all contributed to the disaster unfolding every day.
The world has rightly stood beside and supported Ukraine during its invasion by Russia. The same world has turned a blind eye to the plight of the inhabitants of Gaza. Their plight is best summed up by Yassin Suleiman quoted in the book "..if this was happening in Europe, the world would not be silent. We are not the world's enemy, but the world is standing by Israel. If they continue to stand by Israel, they will regret it."

[Vijay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb introduction to the conflict in Gaza strip and more importantly how it has impacted its residents so miserably and kept them away from the safety and prosperity they deserve. The book is balanced and brings in focus the plight of ordinary people. It also introduces us to the politics and interplay between Israel, Hamas, Fatah and also western powers (US and EU/Britan). Can't help wonder how one election can alter the course of history ? would it have been different today otherwise ? May be not.... Who knows.

I was also amazed by how tiny Gaza strip is in terms of land area (I personally did not know its that small) and how this small piece of land had become a flashpoint for the entire region; keeping it away from peace. It is a sad story of the de-development of a once thriving urban area and even more sad story of its people imprisioned in the small strip of land.

Definately a good book to read.

[Katheryn Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One review on the back of this book recommends it for "anyone who wants to understand the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis". That is essentially why I chose to read this book. It was published two years ago, but the conclusion is the only section that feels a little out of date, and having read this book I can now follow the current news on the conflict more easily.

Gaza: A Country Preparing for Dawn was a really fascinating - and heartbreaking - read, and I particularly liked the balance Macintyre strikes between the stories of individuals and the bigger picture.

[HobbesR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books was incredibly helpful to get a perspective on the situation in Gaza.
There is so much that I had heard of but didn't actually know. Things like Hamas, Fatah, West Bank, the different wars and Gaza civil war etc.
This book provided a great perspective and doesn't fall into one camp or the other, keeping a good perspective on the overall situation.
I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn about Gaza :)

[Sarah Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye-opening and telling recap of the history between Palestinians and Israelis as well as personal stories of the Gazan civilians caught in the middle of it all. Can be a little hard to follow without notes or some initial research/understanding of the conflict, but easily laid out in chronological order with stories in between. Definitely would recommend to anyone wanting to know more since the most recent events in Gaza!

[Debbie Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

By turns heartbreaking and insightful. Macintyre does a good job recounting Gaza's fraught history with Israel and the political turmoil that led to the problems facing Gaza today. At the same time he weaves thoughout stories that demonstrate the courage and resilience of Palestinian people in the face of extraordinary suffering. Highly recommended for anyone interested in a more complete understanding of how the world got into the current mess.

[Pascal Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combines first hand accounts, interviews and political history to construct a fascinating description of the mess. What comes through is Palestinian resilience, they won’t back down or won’t “go away”. They will endure, whatever happens. Only banging the heads of the leaders in the region together will there be an end to the conflict. Good last chapter analysis. I’d like to read something similar about Israel. Any recommendations?

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Macintyre, here, offers a detailed history of Gaza from the early 20th century until the present. The Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7th October 2023 and the Israeli state's disproportionately destructive response have understandably generated renewed interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for which Gaza continues to be a central flashpoint. Macintyre is primarily a journalist, not a professional historian, and though this does at times show in the narrative (for example, when he incorrectly labels Edward Said a supporter of a two-state solution, p.306; or in his use of semi-Orientalist tropes in describing Islamic female dress codes), for the most part his journalistic skills allow the book to remain engaging and readable, appropriately supplemented by references to more academic material throughout.

The book draws upon his first-hand knowledge of Gaza, providing excerpts of interviews conducted with citizens and prominent politicians (including the now-deceased Hamas PM Ismail Haniyah and leader Yahya Sinwar), tracing the rise of Hamas in the aftermath of Oslo, and underscoring the complicity of the international community in worsening the humanitarian situation since. Macintyre is fair in his assessment, offering a nuanced picture of Hamas's rule and the effects of Israel's so-called "invisible" occupation, as well as a good look at the violence unleashed after the Fatah-Hamas split.

He looks at the pre-Intifadah era, in which there was relative freedom of movement for workers in and out of Gaza, before the imposition of the repressive border apparatus that now so-pervasively characterises life for Gazans. Then, of critical importance, the convergence of Israel's policy towards Palestinians with the so-called War on Terror during the second Intifadah despite - as he notes - 'its fundamentally different root causes' (p.42).

Thereafter, Macintyre argues, for many Western politicians 'terrorism was now the story of the Intifada. It eclipsed another reality: an oppressive military and civilian Israeli occupation of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which had been in place for well over a quarter of a century before the first Palestinian suicide attack' (p.42). To be sure, the language of "terrorism" had been applied to Palestinian militancy long before Hamas, back through the PLO campaigns of the 60s and 70s, to violence against Britain in the Mandatory period. He rightfully condemns the suicide bombing campaign that was launched post-Oslo, but also recognises how it emerged against a backdrop of 'despair and powerlessness generated by the corrosive social and economic impact on an unenfranchised and increasingly impoverished population of an occupation' (p.42). Indeed, Macintyre later goes on to show how the discourse of "terrorism" came to be applied in Israeli academic circles to justify a hierarchy of protection of human life in war (p.169).

Drawing on scholarship from the eminent (and late) Graham Usher, the book masterfully unpacks the causes and consequences of the 2006 election victory (p.89), drawing on primary source interviews with leading international actors (like Blair) who retroactively recognise their role in worsening the situation by orchestrating the blockade (pp.92-3, 97). For Usher (and by extension) Macintyre, Hamas's victory in 2006 did not necessarily indicate an ideological penchant for Islamism, but arose from Fatah's inadequacies, the proliferation of corruption within the PA, and through Hamas's ability to position itself as vanguard for Palestinians in Gaza against Israel, especially in light of the latter's 2005 withdrawal (p.89).

The book should also be commended for generally avoiding presenting a stereotyped image of Hamas. Macintyre rightfully recognises the differences between Hamas's rule and other Islamist groups (p.193), noting the number of highly-educated Gazan (and indeed, Palestinian, in general) women, as well as the toleration of small-scale civil disobedience, although this picture arguably became more troublesome during the past decade, in which there has been prominent documentation of the government's repression of civil liberties. Nevertheless, he avoids the trope of lumping all Islamist groups together.

An excellent resource and comprehensive guide for learning about Gaza, compromised a little perhaps by his stubborn faith in the long-dormant (and never just) two-state solution (p.28, where he offers absolutely no evidence for his claim that Barak's decrying of a binational state offers no "better case" for a TSS), as well as his naive assertion that the situation in Gaza attests to a breaking of the "promise" made in the Balfour Declaration not to prejudice the civil and religious rights of non-Jews in Israel-Palestine (the whole point is that the Balfour Declaration omitted mention of their national rights, which the entire conflict has been about...) In light of Israel's absolutely berserk response to the 7th October attack, passages like the following give us cause to lament how little has changed: 'The EU governments essentially accepted Israel's narrative that its military operations in Gaza, past, present and future, were legitimate acts of self-defence against rocket fire - without any reference to the possibility of an agreement that might end that rocket fire in return for easing the siege' (p.153).

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best breakdown of the situation in Gaza you’re going to get. Donald Macintyre writes this up very professionally but also with the sensitivity a subject like this deserves. I must add though that this is an incredibly sad book to read and there were moments I had to stop because I was on the verge of tears and/or so angry and frustrated.

[Rita]

rec. Alistair Campbell.
2017

[Daniel Camara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't waste time reviewing this, all I'll say is more people need to read this book

[Farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

A hugely informative account of life in Gaza which, despite being published in 2017, tells a very familiar story for those watching the horrific events currently unfolding for Palestinians in Gaza. This book combines a narrative of events from recent decades, while incorporating Macintyre's own experience on the ground working as Middle East correspondent for the Independent, and numerous first and second hand accounts from Palestinians over the years.

Although now out-of-date given how much has happened in the last 8 years, this is a superb introduction to some of the events that have led to the current situation in Gaza - delving into the politics between Hamas, Fatah and Israel alongside other countries in the Middle East and the strong influence from the US, EU and UK, while showcasing what life was really like for ordinary Palestinians.

Like many western journalists, Macintyre attempts to give a 'balanced' perspective, but his narrative doesn't shy away from the horrors impacting local Gazans and he is sensitive in his sharing of local people's experiences. Despite the devastating violence impacting this beautiful place and some of the truly heartbreaking stories, Macintyre manages to highlight the hope and potential for Gaza, should some of the political challenges be overcome.

I would definitely recommend giving this one a read if you are looking to learn about Gaza.

[Jon M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough and easy to read guide to the situation in Gaza. Running from the very origins of the conflict (although I feel some basic knowledge of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is needed before reading this book), although up until the publish date. The writer picks through the series of tragedies and missed opportunities that had befallen Gaza and its people.

Overall seemed to be a fair assessment, although on one or 2 occasions I did feel a slight bias toward the Palestinian side.The most striking of these in one of the latter Chapters. The author spends significant time detailing and telling stories of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli forces. Only to then say in just a few short lines that dozens of Palestinian civilians were also killed by failed Islamic Jihad rockets. With no emotional back story, names, family member interviews that we saw when describing deaths from Israeli aggression, as if they was in some way less note worthy.

However I do feel the “bias” moments of this book were few and far between, and overall is a fair assessment - based on my knowledge of the conflict. A very good and enjoyable book.

edit - finished this book for a second time, admist the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It really is a must read book for anybody interested in the conflict. 4.5*