The State of Israel vs. the Jews
Sylvain Cypel, Tr. William Rodarmor
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
The State of Israel vs. the Jews
Sylvain Cypel, Tr. William Rodarmor
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
... a one-sided condemnation.
Sylvain Cypel argues forcefully for the moral bankruptcy of Israel in its treatment of Palestinians. He has marshalled many sources, quotes many people, but the book never rises above the level of a diatribe because there is not a single instance of presenting any information that doesn’t gibe with his viewpoint. This lack makes the book not a reasoned study, but a polemical screed. Cypel may make good points, but it’s hard to take him seriously when he glosses over major issues with barely a mention. Anyone hoping for an illuminating overview of Israeli policy and social attitudes will be disappointed. Cypel has an ax to grind, and he comes out swinging from the first pages.
Making effective use of solid sources—newspaper articles, interviews, speeches, and others—the author regards the recent passage of the 'Basic Laws,' defining who gets to be a citizen, as a chilling example of how the nation-state has grown more insular and 'hyperethnocentric'.
... an impassioned if one-sided critique.