“War is the reality in West Asia. Peace is just a promise.”
With the recent ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, this informative yet engaging book offers an ideal starting point for anyone trying to understand the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict better. It tells the story of Israel and Palestine as they are, through a series of views and personal experiences of the author on his visits to these states. It highlights the need to understand the conflict’s historical context to comprehend the current situation better.
Johny highlights the need to trace the origins of the “original sin” by looking at the consequences of colonialism, the establishment of Israel, and Palestinian displacement. He methodically examines the complexities of both sides, highlighting their flaws and blunders that have perpetuated the cycle of violence. Moreover, the book also sheds light on the role of foreign powers, primarily the United States, and how their actions have shaped the region. Finally, the book delves more into India’s evolving role in West Asian issues, particularly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Johny highlights the need to trace the origins of the "original sin" by looking at the consequences of colonialism, the establishment of Israel, and Palestinian displacement.
The initial chapter talks about how the need for a Zionist state arose after the Holocaust. It primarily focuses on The Balfour Declaration, and the United Kingdom’s support for the Jewish state in what was earlier a part of the Arab state of Palestine, which was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Building on this, the book further talks about how the formation of the state of Israel led to a permanent conflict between the neighbouring Arab states like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. The author writes about the Six-Day War, the Camp David negotiations, and the Oslo Accords. In between this, he also mentions the birth of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), Fatah, and Hamas. In the next couple of chapters, he mentions the contention over Jerusalem, and how Iran supports the cause of Palestine, and believes that Jerusalem should rightfully belong to the Arab world.
Then, the reader can deep dive into the USA’s involvement in providing aid to Israel for a long time, and the reasons why it does so. The United States offers practically unconditional financial, military, and political support for the Jewish state. The United States is also Israel’s largest trading partner. In the next chapter, the author talks about Jordan, and how it has had a troubled relationship with Palestine. There are also brief mentions of events like the Black September, a violent conflict between the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Jordanian monarchy. The penultimate chapter of the book talks about the 7 October 2023 attack carried out by Hamas. It mainly focuses on the build-up for this attack. Lastly, the author writes about how India views the West Asian conflict and its reaction.
The book precisely tracks down the historical origins of the conflict, emphasizing the impact of colonial decisions, particularly the Balfour Declaration (1917) and the subsequent British Mandate policies that sowed the seeds of discord.
Original Sin by Stanly Johny portrays a compelling reality of Israel-Palestine relations within the broader geopolitical landscape of West Asia. The book precisely tracks down the historical origins of the conflict, emphasizing the impact of colonial decisions, particularly the Balfour Declaration (1917) and the subsequent British Mandate policies that sowed the seeds of discord. It further talks about the involvement of France, the UK, and the USA in West Asia.
A strong point of the book is that it weaves past events into geopolitics today. It captures how the struggle progressed through wars over several periods, from 1948 until the Six-Day War (1967), and continues also analyzing failed peace initiatives like the Oslo Accords. Johny’s first-hand experiences in West Asia bring depth to the story, rendering the narrative rich and engaging by combining personal accounts with geopolitical discourse.
Johny's first-hand experiences in West Asia bring depth to the story, rendering the narrative rich and engaging by combining personal accounts with geopolitical discourse.
However, one might feel that the book is geopolitically focused, sometimes neglecting humanitarian concerns and Palestinian grassroots voices. Although it is critical of Israeli policies, it does not go deeper in examining Palestinian leadership challenges. However, the book is well-structured and is a perfect read for researchers, journalists, academics, students, or anyone eager to know the conflict in depth.
Reading this book helped me get a better understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict, especially the history of the region. I enjoyed the anecdotes that the author has included from his visits to countries like Iran, Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank, which added a personal touch to the novel. The book’s narration of historical events, right from the formation of the state of Israel to the 7 October 2023 attacks was insightful. However, I felt the book could have dealt more deeply with humanitarian aspects and Palestinian grassroots struggles. Overall, it is a very well-narrated and engaging book that explains the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict in detail.
Book: Original Sin: Israel, Palestine and the Revenge of Old West Asia
Authors: Stanly Johny
Publishers: HarperCollins India
Price: ₹ 308 (Paperback)
SW Ratings: ****
Archita Gaur is a postgraduate student at the School of International Studies, JNU. She specialises in the World Economy and has a strong interest in public policy, economic research, and governance. The views expressed are the author’s own.
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