Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life

Sari Nusseibeh's work is a grand one; while not without its flaws it is still a testament to the tireless endeavors of those for peace against those for war.

Much like Mr. Nusseibeh I was born in Jerusalem. And, again, similar to Sari, I was raised with many stories about my people's integral and indelible connection to the city and the land. But unlike the Arab Muslim Nusseibeh I was born an Israeli Jew. And of course my stories were much more tinged with my people's narrative, that of the Jewish people rising from the ashes and ignominy of exile and Holocaust to reclaim our ancestral homeland. For the longest time I just accepted what I had heard from my father, my brothers, and most who agreed with them, as received fact.

But life show more isn't so simple. I don't pretend that Mr. Nusseibeh is without agenda. And I also don't pretend that his sympathies don't, even if only by pure knee-jerk instinct, rest more with his than with mine. But Mr. Nusseibeh wants peace and seems to mean it. I can't denigrate anyone for wanting that, not seriously.

Overall this is an informative primer to and for those with little to no knowledge of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Nusseibeh posits, overall, that two state solution with borders based on the results of 1967 war is the best possible resolution. I'm inclined to agree. I'm inclined to agree despite religious, nationalistic, cultural, and political screeching (on every side for every reason) to the contrary.

In the end I'm reminded of a line from James Jones' World War II "The Thin Red Line", specifically from the cynical character Lieutenant Welsh, "property property, it's all about property,". If it has to be about dirt and we have to share it, which we do, then, to quote every half-competent kindergarten teacher the world over, we'll have to learn and share and grow up. show less

I am trying to get through this before I visit Israel and the West Bank but I will have to pick it up again upon my return. This is a memoir of growing up in the West Bank to an important Palestinian family and personal friend of Arafat. It is dense, it has a lot of history and I just don't have time to finish it. So far focus is on the history of the Palestinians and the 1948 conflict with Israel. It is well written and engaging.

This is a really interesting book, although it is more political memoir than autobiography. Still, for most Americans (and I believe we are who it was written for), it will offer a unique perspective on the Israel/Palestine situation, the PLO, and the peace process.

Highly recommended.

well written book about palestine and israel...the conflicts, the desire for peace and the long antagonistic history of these two peoples. interesting perspective from a POL leader who wanted a 2 state solution but was also tied to Arafat.