Israel/Palestine: The Black Book

In this highly informative anthology, the nonpartisan international organization of journalists Reporters without Borders presents a shocking compilation of reports on the human rights violations that have occurred in Israel and Palestine since the second intifada began in 2000. The reports, which are drawn from Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, contain individual case histories as well as general overviews. The Israeli group B'Tselem, for example, describes the demolition of houses along the Egyptian border, while the Palestinian Center for Human Rights documents the Palestinian Authority's attacks on the free press. Other topics include the behavior of Israeli soldiers during demonstrations and at checkpoints, the shortcomings of the Palestinian justice system, the killings committed by Palestinians and the use of torture in Israel. The book makes for sobering reading, but, as the editors write,""Terrorism does not justify torture. Colonial oppression does not justify terrorism."" And the first step to stopping such crimes is to acknowledge that they have occurred.