Palestine and the Middle East: A Chronicle of Passion and Politics

A book of hard-hitting essays about one of the critical global conflicts of our time. Writes author Jaffer Ali: "The Palestinian struggle is actually a human one that transcends Palestine. . . There is no longer a place for Zionism in the 21st Century. . . as long as there is any state in the Middle East that defines citizenship by racial, ethnic or religious categorization, there will never be a lasting peace. "If the popular will were expressed in all of the oil regimes, it is likely that oil and gas would be used as a weapon to deter US military might. At the very least, these resources would be utilized for the development of the region's economy. Presently the combined GNP of 22 Arab countries equals that of Spain, even though over half of all the world's oil sits in various deserts. The oil may benefit a handful of leaders and their extended families, but over 85% of the region lives under the poverty line.