Peace Under Fire: Israel/Palestine and the International Solidarity Movement

Book Overview

The last two years have been the most brutal in the entire thirty-six year history of Israel's military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip; indeed the most violent since the creation of Israel... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1844675017
• ISBN13: 9781844675012
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Verso
• Length: 297 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.7" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Another inconvenient truth...

I, too, have spent significant time in the West Bank: to name-call (as another reviewer did) the Internationals, Palestinians,and Israelis willing to put their lives on the line to promote a NONVIOLENT solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict is nothing short of insulting and cowardly. Groups like the International Solidarity Movement, Womens International Peace Service, and Michigan Peace Team organize opportunities that give reprieve - however brief - to a people facing the daily onslaught of violence, discrimination, and intimidation. When someone has looked at you with tear-filled eyes to whole-heartedly thank you for giving them even a few moments of peace, you then indeed feel the impact of how one person CAN make a difference. "Peace Under Fire" reminds us of that fact - - as inconvenient and uncomfortable we may be with that responsibility.

pure fact

This book is just a reflection of the situation in the ground in Palestine; it's only describing the life of people who live under brutal occupation. The book gives you a different point of view from the one which imposed on the mass by media machines.

fantastic book -- changed my view of the conflict

I am known in many circles as a right-wing pundit who has supported Israel without question. In the past my many writings sought to illuminate the beauty of what is Israel and the evil that is Palestinian. I picked up this book so to review it for my on-line magazine and to my amazement, actually found myself inspired. The work that the international solidarity movement does is quite amazing and they changed my view of the conflict. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the conflict -- especially those who believe that they should support israel with knee-jerk reactions.

important and informative book

The primary function of the ISM is to participate with Palestinians in locally organized non-violence resistance to Israeli occupation, and to bear witness to the ongoing humanitarian, political, and social crises of the region. Membership in this organization is composed of an international array of activists concerned with the Palestinian crisis, and the achievement of equity and justice in the area. Some of the activities that ISM volunteers regularly participate includes: Monitoring and documenting human rights abuses at some of the many dozens of military checkpoints; Participate in the removal of roadblocks that restrict Palestinian movement; Participate in nonviolent marches, demonstrations, etc.; Media work - informing international media of what is occurring in the Occupied territories and put them in touch with those who may speak to them; Participate in the annual Olive harvest with Palestinian farmers who are at high risk of injury due to violent attacks by Israeli settlers; And work with communities that are being affected by the building of the so-called "security wall" and are seeking creative ways to bring attention to and to resist the stealing of their land and means of livelihood. Moreover, ISM volunteers get involved with numerous other emergency situations from accompanying children through checkpoints to school in an effort to prevent them from being tear gassed for defying orders to return to their homes; to accompanying and making sure that ambulances are able to get through check points, to bringing food and supplies to families whose houses have been taken over by soldiers for military purposes and in which they are unable to leave; to the very important monitoring and documenting the unreported late night military invasions and the destruction such caused. First, the ISM has been extremely influential in organizing and supporting various forms of non-violent resistance in Palestine. While Palestinians have a history of nonviolent resistance, the Israeli government considers all forms of resistance as dangerous and illegal. Thus it is not surprising that it is common to have Palestinians involved in actions that, say in the united states would be protected - like demonstrations - is met with incredible violence and arrests. ISM volunteers have come to participate in such nonviolent forms of resistance and as such, hopes that they will less dangerous for Palestinians to engage in and thus keeping such a form viable. These non-violent forms of protest clearly do not receive anywhere the amount of attention by the media or others, as do violent forms of resistance, such as suicide bombings. Thus, left undiscussed is the structural and implicit violence that shapes everyday life for ordinarily Palestinians; this violence is not of a "spectacular" nature but, rather, hinges on repeated and routine forms of harassment (such as road checks, curfews over entire regions for many weeks, house searches, arrests without charges

Stories That Need To Be Told

This is an important book. It tells the stories of those who have the privilege to fight against injustice, and more importantly gives a window into the reality of what its like to be living under occupation. As a Jew, these stories are especially important to me. It's crucial that we are not afraid to make constructive criticisms of the harm our governments are doing, for our security and the world's. This book contains the harrowing words of slain activists Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndall. How sad that we only pay attention when white folks get killed, and glaze over the Palestinians who die everyday. Nonetheless, the ISM has helped to bring attention to a problem that needs to be addressed.