The author presents an analytical perspective to the complex development and beliefs about Israel. A thorough discussion of the immovable force of Nationalism brings to the surface poignant questions.

Aronson, Marc. Unsettled: The Problem of Loving Israel. 2008. 183 pp. $18.99. Atheneum. 978-1416912613. Ages 13 & up.
Marc Aronson presents a well-researched and deeply personal history of Israel. The narrative arc follows the history of Israel’s founding from before WWII to the present, and Aronson includes historical information as well as personal photographs and stories of family members who have lived in Israel. The story is crafted around difficult questions such as, “Can Israel Occupy Conquered Lands and Be True To Its Ideals?” Rather than attempt to answer these questions or defend Israeli or Palestinian actions, Aronson encourages readers to ponder these questions for themselves. The history is broad, not deep, and the personal anecdotes and parallels Aronson draws to U.S. history and culture will help students relate to the complex issues discussed. For students interested in Israel or the Middle East, this book offers an engaging though by no means comprehensive introduction to the tensions surrounding the nation of Israel. Highly recommended. ( )

4Q, 4P

"The big issue I keep mentioning - the rights you gain by winning versus the moral rights that belong to all people as human beings - played out as a divide within Israel itself about what to do with the occupied lands...that is one part of what many people speak of as the hardening of Israel, the poisoning that came with victory in 1967."

p. 109 ( )

Israelis and Palestinians have been at war even before the founding of the state of Israel in May, 1948. Now, 60 years have passed, and there is still constant hostility. Aronson compares the way the Israeli Jews treat the Israeli Arabs to the social climate in the USA before Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights Movement. His solution: Israel should become a democracy for both peoples.There should be separation of religion and government. A taut, short book about the history and conflict in the Middle East written for teens.