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How Israel Lost: The Four Questions
In How Israel Lost Richard Ben Cramer analyzes the four questions that have bedeviled Israel and Palestine for almost forty
I. Why do we care about Israel?
II. Why don¹t the Palestinians have a state?
III. What is a Jewish state?
IV. Why is there no peace?
Cramer illustrates how Israel is losing her soul by maintaining her occupation of the lands conquered in the Six Day War. Israel has become a victim of that occupation no less than the Palestinians, who must have a nation of their own.
Both his observations and argument are drawn with startling clarity, informed by the fierce and fearless reporting that won him the Pulitzer Prize for Middle East coverage.
I. Why do we care about Israel?
II. Why don¹t the Palestinians have a state?
III. What is a Jewish state?
IV. Why is there no peace?
Cramer illustrates how Israel is losing her soul by maintaining her occupation of the lands conquered in the Six Day War. Israel has become a victim of that occupation no less than the Palestinians, who must have a nation of their own.
Both his observations and argument are drawn with startling clarity, informed by the fierce and fearless reporting that won him the Pulitzer Prize for Middle East coverage.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
18 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Richard Ben Cramer
18 books43 followersRichard Ben Cramer was an American journalist and writer. He won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1979 for his coverage of the Middle East. His work as a political reporter culminated in What It Takes: The Way to the White House, an account of the 1988 presidential election that is considered one of the seminal journalistic studies of presidential electoral politics.
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February 2, 2013
المؤلف: ريتشارد كرامر، كاتب وصحفي أمريكي من أصل يهودي، حائز على جائزة بوليتزر عن عمله كمراسل في الشرق الأوسط.
مقدمة الكتاب توضح "ماذا" خسرت إسرائيل لتترك لبقية فصوله مهمة توضيح "كيف" خسرته. خسرت إسرائيل، كما يرى المؤلف، معيشة أفضل لشعبها، وحياة بلا خوف لليهود في وطن قومي لهم، وهو ما أراده مؤسسوها.
يدور الكتاب بين أربعة أسئلة: لماذا نهتم بإسرائيل؟ لماذا لا يكون لدى الفلسطنين دولة؟ ما المقصود بدولة يهودية؟ لماذا لا يتحقق السلام؟
يكشف الكتاب طبيعة الصراع في المجتمع الإسرائيلي بين المتدينين والعلمانيين، ثم تفرُع هذا الصراع لصراعات قَبَلية واجتماعية واقتصادية عديدة، والأمراض التي أصابت المجتمع الإسرائيلي وسياسته وإدارة دولته التي تمركزت حول الصراع، ثُم تسرب هذا التمركز إلى السلطة الفلسطينية وقياداتها، ليصل بعد ذلك إلى أسباب فشل عملية السلام .. ضمن أمور أخرى كثيرة.
يمكن قراءة ملخص عن تناول الكاتب للأسئلة الأربعة هنا:
http://www.eda2a.com/news.php?id=26963
أسلوب الكتاب سلس وموضوعي بشكل كبير. هجومه على السياسيين وقادة الجيش في إسرائيل يقابله نقد عنيف للسلطة الفلسطينية بقيادة عرفات في ذلك الوقت بكل الصلات التي تربطهم بالحكومة والمصالح الإسرائيلية. كشفه لأمراض المجتمع في إسرائيل وتركيبته السكانية، ولعب دور الضحية من جانب إسرائيل أمام المجتمع الدولي يقابله انتقاد العرب على فشلهم في الترويج لقضيتهم وإدارة المفاوضات.
باختصار، لا تنتظر من الكاتب أن يكون معك على طول الخط، كثير من أفكارك عن أسباب دعم أمريكا غير المشروط لإسرائيل ستتغير بعد قراءة الكتاب. ستفهم تركيبة المجتمع الإسرائيلي وطبيعة قيادات الحكومة والجيش وتأثيرها على السياسات الإسرائيلية.
"أي يهودي غير إسرائيلي، لا يعاني من أي أمراض نفسية، يمكنه حل مشكلة السلام الإسرائيلية في عشر دقائق."
- "الفلسطينيين لم يتعلموا أبداً من اليهود كيفية التحكم في روايتهم القومية واستخدامها لتحقيق أهدافهم."
- الإسرائيليون نسوا ما أدكره مؤسسو الدولة الأوائل، وهو أنه إما أن تحصل على دولة أكبر وإما أن تحصل على دولة يهودية. الآن يحاولون الحصول على الاثنين معًا.
- الاحتلال بسياساته هو مشكلة فلسطين وإسرائيل معًا. من ناحية فإن "الخوف قد يصاحب إسرائيل إلى الأبد. فبدون الخوف، دون القتلى اليهود، والهجمات على اليهود، والحزن والغضب من أجل اليهود، ودون التهديدات القائمة ضد اليهود، ستفقد الصهيونية نفسها مبرر وجودها."
- إسرائيل تصنع الإرهاب الذي تدعي مقاومته، وتعمل بقراراتها التكتيكية ضد مصالحها الاستراتيجية.
- "هناك الآن مجتمعان من اليهود في إسرائيل: الأول مجتمع المتشددين الأرثوذكس، والآخر يسمح برؤى متعددة للعقيدة اليهودية، ولكنه لا يرغب في فعل أي شيء للمتشددين."
- مسألة "الشريعة اليهودية" في مرحلة التأسيس و "إجبار الدولة على العمل بالشريعة اليهودية"، ثم إدماج المتشددين في المجتمع من خلال صفقة ضمنية.
مقدمة الكتاب توضح "ماذا" خسرت إسرائيل لتترك لبقية فصوله مهمة توضيح "كيف" خسرته. خسرت إسرائيل، كما يرى المؤلف، معيشة أفضل لشعبها، وحياة بلا خوف لليهود في وطن قومي لهم، وهو ما أراده مؤسسوها.
يدور الكتاب بين أربعة أسئلة: لماذا نهتم بإسرائيل؟ لماذا لا يكون لدى الفلسطنين دولة؟ ما المقصود بدولة يهودية؟ لماذا لا يتحقق السلام؟
يكشف الكتاب طبيعة الصراع في المجتمع الإسرائيلي بين المتدينين والعلمانيين، ثم تفرُع هذا الصراع لصراعات قَبَلية واجتماعية واقتصادية عديدة، والأمراض التي أصابت المجتمع الإسرائيلي وسياسته وإدارة دولته التي تمركزت حول الصراع، ثُم تسرب هذا التمركز إلى السلطة الفلسطينية وقياداتها، ليصل بعد ذلك إلى أسباب فشل عملية السلام .. ضمن أمور أخرى كثيرة.
يمكن قراءة ملخص عن تناول الكاتب للأسئلة الأربعة هنا:
http://www.eda2a.com/news.php?id=26963
أسلوب الكتاب سلس وموضوعي بشكل كبير. هجومه على السياسيين وقادة الجيش في إسرائيل يقابله نقد عنيف للسلطة الفلسطينية بقيادة عرفات في ذلك الوقت بكل الصلات التي تربطهم بالحكومة والمصالح الإسرائيلية. كشفه لأمراض المجتمع في إسرائيل وتركيبته السكانية، ولعب دور الضحية من جانب إسرائيل أمام المجتمع الدولي يقابله انتقاد العرب على فشلهم في الترويج لقضيتهم وإدارة المفاوضات.
باختصار، لا تنتظر من الكاتب أن يكون معك على طول الخط، كثير من أفكارك عن أسباب دعم أمريكا غير المشروط لإسرائيل ستتغير بعد قراءة الكتاب. ستفهم تركيبة المجتمع الإسرائيلي وطبيعة قيادات الحكومة والجيش وتأثيرها على السياسات الإسرائيلية.
"أي يهودي غير إسرائيلي، لا يعاني من أي أمراض نفسية، يمكنه حل مشكلة السلام الإسرائيلية في عشر دقائق."
- "الفلسطينيين لم يتعلموا أبداً من اليهود كيفية التحكم في روايتهم القومية واستخدامها لتحقيق أهدافهم."
- الإسرائيليون نسوا ما أدكره مؤسسو الدولة الأوائل، وهو أنه إما أن تحصل على دولة أكبر وإما أن تحصل على دولة يهودية. الآن يحاولون الحصول على الاثنين معًا.
- الاحتلال بسياساته هو مشكلة فلسطين وإسرائيل معًا. من ناحية فإن "الخوف قد يصاحب إسرائيل إلى الأبد. فبدون الخوف، دون القتلى اليهود، والهجمات على اليهود، والحزن والغضب من أجل اليهود، ودون التهديدات القائمة ضد اليهود، ستفقد الصهيونية نفسها مبرر وجودها."
- إسرائيل تصنع الإرهاب الذي تدعي مقاومته، وتعمل بقراراتها التكتيكية ضد مصالحها الاستراتيجية.
- "هناك الآن مجتمعان من اليهود في إسرائيل: الأول مجتمع المتشددين الأرثوذكس، والآخر يسمح برؤى متعددة للعقيدة اليهودية، ولكنه لا يرغب في فعل أي شيء للمتشددين."
- مسألة "الشريعة اليهودية" في مرحلة التأسيس و "إجبار الدولة على العمل بالشريعة اليهودية"، ثم إدماج المتشددين في المجتمع من خلال صفقة ضمنية.
October 8, 2018
American author Richard Ben Cramer won the Putlitzer Prize for International Reporting in 1979 for his reporting in the Middle East. 20 years later he was asked by his publisher to write on the current situation in Israel (current in 2004 when this book was published). He organizes his thoughts around 4 key questions: Why do we care about Israel? Why don't the Palestinians have a state? What is a Jewish state? Why is there no peace?
In a breezy tone he gives his analysis why the occupation endures and how it "corrupts and corrodes the societies of both Arab and Jew." Some of the details are dated (e.g., Arafat is now dead and other mafia-dons run Gaza), but the basic situation is still the same. I've done other reading on modern Israel in preparation for a trip, so this might be a difficult book without any other background, but it was a fast read and provided lots of interesting discussion points. I liked the author's style and strong opinions, even if I didn't always agree. (Cramer himself died in 2004 from lung cancer.)
In a breezy tone he gives his analysis why the occupation endures and how it "corrupts and corrodes the societies of both Arab and Jew." Some of the details are dated (e.g., Arafat is now dead and other mafia-dons run Gaza), but the basic situation is still the same. I've done other reading on modern Israel in preparation for a trip, so this might be a difficult book without any other background, but it was a fast read and provided lots of interesting discussion points. I liked the author's style and strong opinions, even if I didn't always agree. (Cramer himself died in 2004 from lung cancer.)
July 24, 2014
First thing I have to note is that the book is written in an extremely conversational tone. Em dashes and parentheses litter the pages, and there are some places where it looks like Cramer threw some salt down on the page and put in an ellipsis wherever more than one grain hit. It's very distracting in the beginning, but I got used to it relatively quickly. Others may not be so lucky.
Anyway, Cramer was a journalist in the Middle East for decades, and has seen quite a lot during that time. The book is mostly about how Israeli society has changed during the time that he's been covering it, and that basically all comes back to the Occupation. The Occupation was originally a response to Israel's surprising victory in the Six-Day War, but since then, nearly every aspect of Israeli politics has been defined by their relation to the occupied territories. Generals fill the Prime Ministership, the cabinet positions, and even the CEOships of major companies. The question of security dominates the national discourse. And despite a majority of Israelis who say they want peace and are willing to give up land to get it, governments who have a de facto policy of maintaining Greater Israel keep getting elected.
One of the reasons he gives for this is that Occupation has systematically brutalized Israeli society. Everyone has to serve in the military (except the Haredim, which Cramer points out causes fractures all its own--majorities of secular Israelies say the Ultra Orthodox are more dangerous to the state than the Palestinians), and most of those have to serve in the Occupied Territories. While there, they're basically encouraged to treat the Palestinians as second class citizens--or, to be more accurate, as a conquered people--and then that attitude persists when they return to civilian life. And everyone in the society has gone through that.
After a bombing of a Hamas chief in his apartment building, which also killed over a dozen people, Ha'aretz interviewed a pilot, and one of the things he said was this:
The Occupation is having the same effect on the Palestinians as well. Even beyond the obvious effects of collateral damage from Israeli assassinations, checkpoints, walls cutting off farmers from their land, etc., Cramer discusses how Palestinian society is still a tribal, honor-based culture, which affects both the reason why their leadership seems so ineffective (much of the budget goes into payments for people's families, sinecure positions, and pure graft) and one of the reasons why the peace plans seem to be going nowhere. What does "97% of mandate Palestine" mean when the remaining 3% are roads that carve up the West Bank into tiny Bantustans and leave the checkpoints in place?
I originally thought about whether to shelve this on my Judaism shelf ot not, but in the end, I had to do so. After all, one of the four questions that Cramer asks is "What is a Jewish state?" According to Cramer, one of Israel's major problems is that it's simultaneously trying to define itself as a modern democratic state and as a state based on ethnic affiliation, and the two are incompatible. A modern democratic state would mean that the Palestinians get a vote, and that would mean the end of the Jewish state.
This is not a hopeful book, as you may have been able to tell from the title. At the end, Cramer mentions that some of his friends in Israel seemed to think that a corner had been turned in the process, and that a light was around the corner. As the last eight years have shown, though, they were wrong, and part of the reason is that everyone in power benefits from the current situations. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the rest of the political Islam groups don't want peace, because then their reason for existence goes away. The PLO doesn't want it, because then they can't blame their problems on Israel and might actually have to spend money on infrastructure instead of graft and their own bank accounts. And the Israeli government doesn't want it, because then they can't use the threat of terrorism to distract Israelis from domestic problems (did you hear about the 2011 housing protests? I bet you didn't) and because at the moment, they're getting everything they want. The Palestinians are divided, the settlements keep increasing, and their policy of soft ethnic cleansing will eventually give them their Greater Israel, if it doesn't utterly ruin Israeli society first. Why change?
Why indeed. The book's title refers mostly to how Israel lost the world's opinion, going from the survivors of horrible oppression to being seen as oppressors themselves, but there's not much in here to indicate that anything will change any time soon. If you're looking for a way forward, you won't find it here, but it's a good account of why things are the way they are and why change seems so difficult and so far away.
Note: For those who aren't aware, these are the real Four Questions.
Anyway, Cramer was a journalist in the Middle East for decades, and has seen quite a lot during that time. The book is mostly about how Israeli society has changed during the time that he's been covering it, and that basically all comes back to the Occupation. The Occupation was originally a response to Israel's surprising victory in the Six-Day War, but since then, nearly every aspect of Israeli politics has been defined by their relation to the occupied territories. Generals fill the Prime Ministership, the cabinet positions, and even the CEOships of major companies. The question of security dominates the national discourse. And despite a majority of Israelis who say they want peace and are willing to give up land to get it, governments who have a de facto policy of maintaining Greater Israel keep getting elected.
One of the reasons he gives for this is that Occupation has systematically brutalized Israeli society. Everyone has to serve in the military (except the Haredim, which Cramer points out causes fractures all its own--majorities of secular Israelies say the Ultra Orthodox are more dangerous to the state than the Palestinians), and most of those have to serve in the Occupied Territories. While there, they're basically encouraged to treat the Palestinians as second class citizens--or, to be more accurate, as a conquered people--and then that attitude persists when they return to civilian life. And everyone in the society has gone through that.
After a bombing of a Hamas chief in his apartment building, which also killed over a dozen people, Ha'aretz interviewed a pilot, and one of the things he said was this:
But if you nevertheless want to know what I feel when I release a bomb, I will tell you: I feel a light bump to the plane as a result of the bomb's release. A second later it's gone, and that's all. That's what I feel.So, it's not really having a healthy effect on society.
-Dan Halutz
The Occupation is having the same effect on the Palestinians as well. Even beyond the obvious effects of collateral damage from Israeli assassinations, checkpoints, walls cutting off farmers from their land, etc., Cramer discusses how Palestinian society is still a tribal, honor-based culture, which affects both the reason why their leadership seems so ineffective (much of the budget goes into payments for people's families, sinecure positions, and pure graft) and one of the reasons why the peace plans seem to be going nowhere. What does "97% of mandate Palestine" mean when the remaining 3% are roads that carve up the West Bank into tiny Bantustans and leave the checkpoints in place?
I originally thought about whether to shelve this on my Judaism shelf ot not, but in the end, I had to do so. After all, one of the four questions that Cramer asks is "What is a Jewish state?" According to Cramer, one of Israel's major problems is that it's simultaneously trying to define itself as a modern democratic state and as a state based on ethnic affiliation, and the two are incompatible. A modern democratic state would mean that the Palestinians get a vote, and that would mean the end of the Jewish state.
This is not a hopeful book, as you may have been able to tell from the title. At the end, Cramer mentions that some of his friends in Israel seemed to think that a corner had been turned in the process, and that a light was around the corner. As the last eight years have shown, though, they were wrong, and part of the reason is that everyone in power benefits from the current situations. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the rest of the political Islam groups don't want peace, because then their reason for existence goes away. The PLO doesn't want it, because then they can't blame their problems on Israel and might actually have to spend money on infrastructure instead of graft and their own bank accounts. And the Israeli government doesn't want it, because then they can't use the threat of terrorism to distract Israelis from domestic problems (did you hear about the 2011 housing protests? I bet you didn't) and because at the moment, they're getting everything they want. The Palestinians are divided, the settlements keep increasing, and their policy of soft ethnic cleansing will eventually give them their Greater Israel, if it doesn't utterly ruin Israeli society first. Why change?
Why indeed. The book's title refers mostly to how Israel lost the world's opinion, going from the survivors of horrible oppression to being seen as oppressors themselves, but there's not much in here to indicate that anything will change any time soon. If you're looking for a way forward, you won't find it here, but it's a good account of why things are the way they are and why change seems so difficult and so far away.
Note: For those who aren't aware, these are the real Four Questions.
February 12, 2023
Although it was written 10+ years ago, this book offered nuanced historical context to the conflict. Slightly depressing that not much has changed, and the book’s last chapter foreshadows why: the tribes and settlers of israel are unwilling to give up land and the Palestinians cannot find a leader who can advance their cause. I appreciated Richard Cramer’s time spent in the Middle East and his deep knowledge of the people and culture who live there—on both sides. The book is a fast read—full of colorful stories and anecdotes and very much seems like you’re talking to a ex-pat friend who gives you the scoop. Some interesting tidbits that I was surprised to find out are: the ultra orthodox religious actually didn’t want a Jewish state, so a lot of the current religious laws in israel (no public transportation on sabbath) are based off concessions Ben gurion made; Arafat and Israeli leaders worked together on some corrupt deals
April 28, 2021
Very engaging and unbiased take on a thorny issue.
March 9, 2024
Because this is unfortunately a very present issue, it was time to learn more about the historical problems. This book helped a lot.
March 30, 2018
p. 146: The Israelis by Amos Elon
p. 155: 1949 by Tom Segev
p. 165: Haredim are more a menace than Arabs.
p. 155: 1949 by Tom Segev
p. 165: Haredim are more a menace than Arabs.
November 16, 2014
I've always meant to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I've been rather ignorant about it and therefore haven't had an opinion either way (which is still better than blindly supporting one side or the other).
One book does not an expert make, but I saw this book as a rather balanced primer. The last two sections ("What is a Jewish State?" and "Why is there no peace?") had the most impact on me. I still don't know exactly where I stand - probably somewhere in the middle, seeing both sides as well as the international community as having faults - but I do know that I want to learn more.
One book does not an expert make, but I saw this book as a rather balanced primer. The last two sections ("What is a Jewish State?" and "Why is there no peace?") had the most impact on me. I still don't know exactly where I stand - probably somewhere in the middle, seeing both sides as well as the international community as having faults - but I do know that I want to learn more.
Read
April 11, 2016With this book Cremer won the Pullitzer price, a brilliant book. With four basic questions Cremer tries to illustrate te situation in Israel. In a nutshell, it comes down to: Israel has become a victim (tribalism, agression) of its own policy and it's questionable if they will ever get out of this. Cremer doesnt fear sacred cows in his book. Cremer interviewed a lot of different individuals (makes the book personal) and uses a wide range of references. He pictures jews as well as palestinians and you will start out liking and disliking both sides. Sometimes he is a bit cynical in his writing, but I like this style.
October 15, 2008
Ben Cramer was a journalist in the Middle East for eight years, then he was gone for two decades, and then he returned. What he found in Israel amazed him, and he wrote this book about it. The book is a little dated by now (originally released in 2004), but there's still plenty of food for thought.
The Four Questions: "Why do we care about Israel? Why don't Palestinians have a state? What is a Jewish state? Why is there no peace?" Ben Cramer has some unorthodox answers.
The Four Questions: "Why do we care about Israel? Why don't Palestinians have a state? What is a Jewish state? Why is there no peace?" Ben Cramer has some unorthodox answers.
Read
August 7, 2013'This is a wonderful book, courageous and honest—though courage and honesty hardly suffice to make a book good. Cramer has brought Israelis and Arabs alive in his pages, effortlessly passing on to the reader his own deep affections. He writes as a Jew and lover of Israel, but is utterly persuasive in his argument that the occupation is gobbling up the soul of the state.'
Read the full review, "A Friend's Lament," on our website:
http://www.theamericanconservative.co...
Read the full review, "A Friend's Lament," on our website:
http://www.theamericanconservative.co...
March 5, 2008
While the title may seem off putting to some, the book is an incredibly sympathetic portrait of the complexities of life in Israel and Palestine. Government, be it Israel or the PLO, are the real bad guys here who choose to exploit the conflict for profit and continued power with devastating consequences for the people they purport to serve.
June 14, 2010
A cutting, incisive, sad, but breezy (maybe a little much so) look into the situation and character of the state of Israel, particularly regarding its decades-long military occupation (and now blockade), coming from a Pulitzer-winning Middle East journalist. Definitely recommended.
January 5, 2015
Pretty good book from topics of Israel's past, present, and future. Has some surprisingly good humor mixed throughout, and has a bunch of testimonials and eyewitness stories. Some sources and opinions are a little biased, but overall adds more sustenance to Israeli culture and history.
November 4, 2007
anyone who is interested in a clever writer's perspective on "The Conflict" should check this out.
August 20, 2012
a great primer for understanding the Israel/Palastinian conflict.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews