Letters to My Palestinian Neighbour by Yossi Klein Halevi

An experienced journalist, religious Jew supporter of the two-state solution with knowledge of the Palestinian society and Islam, Yossi Klein Halevi wrote a wise book aimed at explaining Zionism to the 'Palestinian Neighbor'. In a poetic language, infused with wisdom and moderation, he is offering his version, neither right or left. 

The book - that will soon be translated into Arabic - is a confession - 'sharing my faith and my story' - from the bottom of the heart and I wonder if or ever we will ever experience such an open testimony from the Palestinian side. I would be really happy and curious to read such an account. 

'I see your present in this land as an essential part of its being', he is writing to his 'neighbor' that brainwashed by the ideological rulers is inclined to think that rather the Jewish neighbors do not need to live in their ancestral land any more. Despite the obvious  conflict of narratives, Halevi shows that it might be a common language of understanding, which may lead, one day, to a wise life under the same generous sun.

As neighbours, we don't have to love each other or be the best friends in the world, but at least to learn how to not harm each other in any possible way. Unless the two of them are not using the same language and are willing to talk and stop hating the other. After all, you only have one beautiful house to share.

An inspirational reading for the moderates of heart and mind.

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: The Diamond Setter by Moshe Sakal

A book about multiple loves, deep-hidden secrets and the slow evolution of the Middle East into a story of deep hate, The Diamond Setter has a powerful story - 'inspired by true events'. The intricated memory legacies of a Jewish family from Syria forced by the unfriendly political circumstances to emigrate to Israel are explored under a sexual angle, but it is obviously more to the story than that. Connecting the love story dots with a diamond of impressive value brings a charm worth a 1001-night. 

From the historical and reality point of view, the stories about the 'marvelous' co-existence between Jews and their Arab neighbours in the Oriental lands - compared to the pogrom-ridden European stories - are often the results of a delusional projections aimed to mould into a reality that never existed. The novel rather focuses on a particular family story, without too much emphasis on the environment therefore avoiding the pinky kitch of co-existence 'stories'. And if not for some post-modern interruptions in order to let the author's voice to rearrange the game of plans between reality and fiction, it would have flow admirably too.

There is an impressive cast of characters, with the women being the most complex participants to the story. 

But the past is past and the idea of trying to re-create the initial circumstances and events is as wrong as believing that love has borders - although, there are so many cultural, linguistic and intellectual barriers that can easily break the love. Rather, there are specific circumstances at a certain moment that create the opportunitiy of a certain situation - and relationship - but those circumstances are unique and most likely impossible to reiterate. The reality changes permanently and so the people under the pressure of events and ideological/educational pressures. The Middle East that was described in the 1920s-1930s is completely different nowadays and the changes will rather be dramatically new than reproducing a reality that once was. Nowadays, more than ever, we are part of a greater complex continuum which moves towards a different - greatly unknown - forward than back to a past. 

Meanwhile, the human capacity of telling beautiful stories will always remain.

Rating: 3 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review