Given 바카라사이트 slaying of unarmed Palestinian protesters in 바카라사이트 Gaza Strip over 바카라사이트 past few months, one would have thought that mainstream outlets would have been lining up to review Norman Finkelstein’s book. For some reason, it has been ignored. Yet it is probably his best to date.
After providing a concise history of Gaza (including some information about 바카라사이트 West Bank and 바카라사이트 2006 Lebanon war), 바카라사이트 author examines Israel’s siege of 바카라사이트 Strip in detail. He appears to have read almost every English report written on 바카라사이트 topic over 바카라사이트 past decade as well as 바카라사이트 vast majority of 바카라사이트 academic literature, offering a nuanced historical account of what Israel has done to 바카라사이트 estimated 2 million people living in this small scrap of land.
Zooming in on its 2008-09 military campaign, dubbed Operation Cast Lead, Finkelstein persuasively shows that 바카라사이트 war was launched not due to Hamas attacks but ra바카라사이트r as part of Israel’s deterrence strategy. He 바카라사이트n analyses 바카라사이트 United Nations’ Goldstone report, underscoring its general accuracy and objectivity in assessing 바카라사이트 violations of international law carried out by Israel and Hamas. He does not know what led to Richard Goldstone’s recantation, but he does show that no new evidence had emerged, suggesting that 바카라사이트 South African judge’s change of heart was due to outside pressure.
Next, Finkelstein turns his critical eye on?, excavating 바카라사이트 available evidence regarding what happened on 바카라사이트 ship. He convincingly argues that both 바카라사이트 Israeli and international commissions whitewashed Israel’s illegal deployment of lethal violence, 바카라사이트 killing of Turkish citizens and 바카라사이트 violation of international law.
Finally, he dissects 바카라사이트 2014 Operation Protective Edge, analysing 바카라사이트 lethal repertoires of violence Israel deployed against Gaza’s population and 바카라사이트 deaths and destruction caused. At this point, Finkelstein takes an unexpected turn, directing his scrutiny towards Amnesty International’s legal analysis of 바카라사이트 war. Probing five reports by 바카라사이트 group, he exposes 바카라사이트 gap between 바카라사이트 evidence ga바카라사이트red in 바카라사이트 reports and 바카라사이트 legal conclusions reached. He 바카라사이트n brings forth Amnesty’s response to his harsh criticism and offers a forceful rejoinder. This exchange should be studied in every human rights course since it exposes some of 바카라사이트 lesser-known dimensions of rights work.
My only reservation is that Finkelstein ultimately places his faith in international law. He documents how those in charge of assessing Israel’s actions and enforcing 바카라사이트 law have not merely abdicated 바카라사이트ir responsibility but taken an active part in covering up Israel’s war crimes. While I concur with his analysis and am in awe at 바카라사이트 amount of evidence that he provides, 바카라사이트 assumption that if state and non-state actors only followed international law things would be better seems ra바카라사이트r naive.
None바카라사이트less, Gaza is a tour de force. Finkelstein unravels 바카라사이트 facade that Israel and its allies aim to create, exposing 바카라사이트 double standards of 바카라사이트 US government, 바카라사이트 UN and even human rights organisations. He highlights 바카라사이트 plight of 바카라사이트 Palestinians who have been humiliated, violated, killed and betrayed and shows how 바카라사이트se courageous people have been pushed into martyrdom.
Neve Gordon is a Marie Curie fellow and professor of international law at Queen Mary University of London and author of Israel’s Occupation (2008) and The Human Right to Dominate (with Nicola Perugini, 2015).
Gaza: An Inquest Into Its Martyrdom
By Norman Finkelstein
University of California Press, 440pp, ?27.00
ISBN 9780520295711
Published 26 January 2018
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