https://archive.org/details/decolonizing-israel-liberating-palestine
Read sample
Follow the author
Jeff HalperJeff Halper
Follow
Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine: Zionism, Settler Colonialism, and the Case for One Democratic State
by Jeff Halper (Author) Format: Paperback
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (54)
4.0 on Goodreads
151 ratings
'Extremely convincing' - Electronic Intifada
For decades we have spoken of the ‘Israel-Palestine conflict’, but what if our understanding of the issue has been wrong all along? This book explores how the concept of settler colonialism provides a clearer understanding of the Zionist movement's project to establish a Jewish state in Palestine, displacing the Palestinian Arab population and marginalizing its cultural presence.
Jeff Halper argues that the only way out of a colonial situation is decolonization: the dismantling of Zionist structures of domination and control and their replacement by a single democratic state, in which Palestinians and Israeli Jews forge a new civil society and a shared political community.
To show how this can be done, Halper uses the 10-point program of the One Democratic State Campaign as a guide for thinking through the process of decolonization to its post-colonial conclusion. Halper’s unflinching reframing will empower activists fighting for the rights of the Palestinians and democracy for all.
===
Review
'It is fashionable to say that the two-state solution to Israel-Palestine is dead. Jeff Halper thinks it was never born. In this brave, thought-provoking and highly original book, he presents both a searching critique of Zionist settler colonialism and a compelling case for one democratic state with equal rights for all its citizens'
Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at Oxford and author of 'The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World' (Penguin, 2014)
'Strikes at the core of the political revolution boiling under the surface in Israel/Palestine. Halper serves a generous helping of hope for anyone who cares about the future of this land'
Shir Hever, author of 'The Political Economy of Israel's Occupation' (Pluto Press, 2010)
'An important chapter in the development of a conversation that will form the foundation of a just regime for the inhabitants of the country and the refugees'
Eitan Bronstein Aparicio, founder and former director of the NGO Zochrot
'Jeff Halper harnesses his extremely sharp and original mind alongside his prophetic voice to change the international debate. A gem for both the novice as well as the expert, his book offers a brilliant analysis of Israel's colonial project and outlines what a decolonial horizon might look like'
Neve Gordon, author of 'Human Shields: A History of People in the Line of Fire' (University of California Press, 2020)
'This is the first serious contribution in drawing a path to the project of liberating Palestine'
Awad Abdelfattah, Former Secretary General of the Balad/Tajamu Party and Coordinator of the One Democratic State Campaign (ODSC)
'Helps us to see light at the end of the tunnel. At a time when Israel is seeking to legalise its apartheid regime and colonisation of occupied Palestine, it is vital to imagine and discuss alternative futures'
Haidar Eid is Associate Professor of Postcolonial and Postmodern Literature at Gaza al-Aqsa University
'A powerful and convincing case - a must read for anyone looking for fresh ideas of how to end the long and bloody conflict in Palestine'
Ilan Pappe, Professor of History and Director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter
'With informed lucidity, political sophistication and moral integrity Halper depicts the path from here to there. What is most unexpected, given present realities, is that this manages to be a book of realistic hope, the finest work of advocacy scholarship I have ever read'
Richard Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University, and author of 'Palestine's Horizon' (Pluto, 2017)
'This is a serious work that deserves to be widely read. Halper is among the few who not only understands that we are at a critical historical juncture, but is also able to analyze its multiple dimensions and offer a transformative plan of action'
Mouin Rabbani, Co-Editor of 'Jadaliyya'
'Amid a raft of failed policy choices, Halper's book is a cathartic practical vision of one possible way out of the protracted Israel-Palestine conflict'
Sophia Akram, The New Arab
'Halper's book is informative, offering an in-depth perspective that is lacking and addresses the concept of memory within the political framework of decolonisation'
Middle East Monitor
'An extremely convincing and persuasive argument that the only conceivable future for justice and peace necessitates a process of decolonization and equal rights for all'
Electronic Intifada
'He doesn't pretend that creating one democratic state will be easy but he contends that it is the only way for Palestinians and Israelis to gain long-term security and a viable way of life'
Jordan Times
An essential and empowering text for anyone interested in the history and future of Israel-Palestine'
Morning Star
'Thoughtful'
Labour Hub
'[Halper] reframes Israel as a settler-colonial state necessitating a clear oppositional political strategy with an end-game of actively decolonizing the whole political structure'
Counterpunch
'A return to an explicitly anti-colonial Palestinian liberation politics'
ROAR
'Timely'
'Counterfire'
'Powerful'
'Against the Current'
Review
'It is fashionable to say that the two-state solution to Israel-Palestine is dead. Jeff Halper thinks it was never born. In this brave, thought-provoking and highly original book, he presents both a searching critique of Zionist settler colonialism and a compelling case for one democratic state with equal rights for all its citizens'
'Strikes at the core of the political revolution boiling under the surface in Israel/Palestine. Halper serves a generous helping of hope for anyone who cares about the future of this land'
'An important chapter in the development of a conversation that will form the foundation of a just regime for the inhabitants of the country and the refugees'
'Jeff Halper harnesses his extremely sharp and original mind alongside his prophetic voice to change the international debate. A gem for both the novice as well as the expert, his book offers a brilliant analysis of Israel's colonial project and outlines what a decolonial horizon might look like'
'This is the first serious contribution in drawing a path to the project of liberating Palestine'
'Helps us to see light at the end of the tunnel. At a time when Israel is seeking to legalise its apartheid regime and colonisation of occupied Palestine, it is vital to imagine and discuss alternative futures'
'A powerful and convincing case - a must read for anyone looking for fresh ideas of how to end the long and bloody conflict in Palestine'
'With informed lucidity, political sophistication and moral integrity Halper depicts the path from here to there. What is most unexpected, given present realities, is that this manages to be a book of realistic hope, the finest work of advocacy scholarship I have ever read'
'This is a serious work that deserves to be widely read. Halper is among the few who not only understands that we are at a critical historical juncture, but is also able to analyze its multiple dimensions and offer a transformative plan of action'
'Amid a raft of failed policy choices, Halper's book is a cathartic practical vision of one possible way out of the protracted Israel-Palestine conflict'
'Halper's book is informative, offering an in-depth perspective that is lacking and addresses the concept of memory within the political framework of decolonisation'
'An extremely convincing and persuasive argument that the only conceivable future for justice and peace necessitates a process of decolonization and equal rights for all'
'He doesn’t pretend that creating one democratic state will be easy but he contends that it is the only way for Palestinians and Israelis to gain long-term security and a viable way of life'
An essential and empowering text for anyone interested in the history and future of Israel-Palestine'
'Thoughtful'
'[Halper] reframes Israel as a settler-colonial state necessitating a clear oppositional political strategy with an end-game of actively decolonizing the whole political structure'
'A return to an explicitly anti-colonial Palestinian liberation politics'
‘Timely’
‘Powerful’
Read more
TopAbout this itemSimilarFrom the AuthorQuestionsReviews
Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine: Zionism, Settler Colonialism, and the Case for One Democratic StateProduct details
Publisher : Pluto Press
Publication date : January 20, 2021
Language : English
Print length : 256 pages
ISBN-10 : 0745343392
ISBN-13 : 978-0745343396
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.64 x 8.46 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #368,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)#240 in Colonialism & Post-Colonialism
#267 in Political Freedom (Books)
#467 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)
Customer Reviews:
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (54)
Videos
Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!Upload your video
About the author
Follow authors for new release and deal updates, plus improved recommendations. See updates from all followed authors in Your Books.
Follow
Jeff Halper
.Jeff Halper is an Israeli anthropologist, the Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) and a founding member of the One Democratic State Campaign.
Jeff is the author of Between Redemption and Revival: The Jewish Community of Jerusalem in the Nineteenth Century (Westview, 1991); An Israeli in Palestine (Pluto, 2008) on his work against the Israeli Occupation; Obstacles to Peace, ICAHD’s manual for activism in Palestine/Israel; War Against the People: Israel, the Palestinians and Global Pacification (Pluto, 2015), which was shortlisted for the Palestine Book Award; and Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine: Zionism, Settler Colonialism and the Case for One Democratic State (Pluto, 2021).
Jeff served on United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. He also participated in the first (and successful) attempt of the Free Gaza Movement to break the Israeli siege by sailing into Gaza. In 2006 he was nominated by the American Friends Service Committee for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, together with the Palestinian intellectual and activist Ghassan Andoni.
Jeff resides in Jerusalem and can be reached at jeffhalper@gmail.com.
Read less about this author
==
From the United States
AndyAyy
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Definitely a great read to understand history and factual information
Helpful
Report
Natalie Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Important analysis with actionable steps
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book thoroughly makes the case regarding settler colonialism and the steps of decolonization for peace.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Fred Medaks
5.0 out of 5 stars Good informstive
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Like the style written with facts
One person found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Cameron Nunley
4.0 out of 5 stars Idealistic, but Reality is Never Ideal
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2021
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Decolonizing Israel, Liberating Palestine is an interesting piece of literature; author Jeff Halper heads an organization that fights the legality of Israeli-sponsored demolitions of Palestinian houses in the Occupied West Bank. His book argues that fundamentally, Zionism engaged in Settler-Colonialism to fulfill its desire to establish a Jewish homeland. According to Halper, the goal of establishing a homeland and cultural center in Palestine/Israel by Jews isn't wrong, but the method by which the Zionist movement did this was colonialist in nature; Halper detail several ways the Zionist movement before statehood and following the establishment of Israel, under Israeli state rule, has engaged in forms of land settlement, confiscation, and marginalization. Ultimately Halper appeals to Decolonization as the method. While the efficaciousness of this particular diagnosis to the conflict or in Halper's conception the "Settler-Colonial Project" has yet to be implemented, the book suffers from an idealistic streak divorced from reality, namely that every project of decolonization has either resulted in the "Settlers" being ethnically cleansed (Algeria & Manchuria) or in the shared post-colonial polity transforming into a failed state (South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya). I won't dock the book for points on its lack of realism as it is well written, and the arguments (though in my opinion rather weak and too idealistic) is well structured, the reality is far too divorced from what Halper seeks to bring about.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2021
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Excellent!
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
H. Peter Nennhaus
5.0 out of 5 stars Principles vs. Reality
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2021
Format: Paperback
Jeff Halper is a brave soldier, fighting for the rights of Palestinians and for a more equitable solution in the Middle East. Having given up on the failed two-state plan, he has correctly resorted to the only remaining possibility, a single democratic state providing equal rights. The conceived mechanism would be that followed by South Africa where the power of world opinion forced the Apartheid regime to abandon its policies and to undergo a deep metamorphosis.
In Israel, a nonpartisan look at where the pieces stand on the chess board does not give much hope. The only mighty force to bring about change would again be world opinion, which, however, has been hesitant, restrained and utterly polite. The US will never act in an anti-Zionist or anti-Israel way. The same is true for Germany, still buried under the Holocaust shame, and its neighbors aren’t much bolder, while Russia and China have staid out of the game altogether. Meanwhile, the Israelis, despite the smallness of their country, have been remarkably powerful politically and in public relations. At the most, the world will give the Palestinians a little help here and there and some humanitarian relief, but beyond that I see little change.
Yet, that doesn’t mean, you shouldn’t take your hat off for Mr. Halper who is struggling for the rights of the other guy and refuses to yield from what he sees as a position of principle.
28 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Kathryn Weaver
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2023
Format: Paperback
This is a great book for today full of wonderful insights.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Jeff's suggestion is a death warrant for Jews living in the one and only Jew state.
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2021
Format: Paperback
Jeff's suggestion is a death warrant for Jews living in the one and only Jew state- Israel. He suggests there are no other alternatives to a 2 state solution. Does Jeff realize there are 22 other countries in the Middle East all of them Arab and Muslim. They need to absorb their own and not ask Israel to commit suicide. Gaza and Jordan are already two Palestinian countries who can easily absorb and end the refugee problem if they wanted to. Jeff suggests we should fight for "democracy for all". He is correct Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East where all citizens have equal rights. Perhaps he should write a book about the 22 Arab Muslim counties in the Middle East that are autocracies or dictatorships with limited human rights. Nice read but Jeff clearly doesn't have a grasp on the reality in the Middle East.
22 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Bbumpp
1.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful concept - if we lived in lala land
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2021
Format: Paperback
The book completely ignores what is actually going on in Israel. Sure, we should all live in a utopian civilization where there are no countries at all and we are all just global citizens....but let's be real.
Gaza actually voted in Hamas - a globally recognized terror group that rules according to Sharia law.
PSR polling shows that most Palestinian's support targeting civilians.
The PA still pays out stipends to suicide bombers families.
There are many wonderful Palestinians, I know quite a few personally, but there is no way Israel dismantles itself and the Jews then become a minority under Sharia Law. Hamas & the PA can both talk about secular democracy, but what happens when they get control of the military? Is Israel supposed to just risk it for their citizens even though there is not one other true democracy in the region?
The author does not address these huge issues which makes the book an unbalanced waste of time.
17 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars bad book
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2021
Format: Paperback
it’s a bad book
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report
From other countries
p murphy
5.0 out of 5 stars A convincing argument for the one state solution - more important than ever!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2024
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A convincing argument for the one state solution - more important than ever!
Report
==
==
==
No comments:
Post a Comment