Harry Levin (2) (–1965)

I found this book in a small used bookshop in Brecon. It was a pretty gruelling read as the diarist recorded repeated accounts of hunger, constant shelling, and endless deprivation. The conditions in mid-1948 Jerusalem were harsh to say the least. I imagine this probably wasn't a bestseller, though as a detailed first-hand account of the Arab siege of the city during Israel's war of independence, it stands as an important piece of primary evidence history.

The entries relating to the Jewish show more massacres of Arabs at Deir Yassin and Liftah serve as important reminders of the partial responsibility Israel has in regard to the Palestinian refugee problem of today. On the other hand, the entries towards the end of the diary (July '48) recount the endless stream of refugees fleeing on account of rumoured Jewish ill-treatment propagated by King Abdullah's [of Transjordan] men as a means to bolster the Arabs' sense of justified revenge. One fascinating section recounts how a Galilean Beduin Sheikh and his tribe joined forces with the Israelis in fighting the invading Arab forces. show less