Perspective

The author's perspective is key to this work. Written in the first person narrative, the story of Palestine following World War II is told by one who experienced first hand the harshness and cruelty of discrimination, hatred and violence. As a Palestinian Christian, whose early life was filled with peaceful co-existence of all native cultures and religions, Elias Chacour recounts a very different view of the establishment of the state of Israel than most Westerners have been given through their history texts and politicians of that time. The world view, certainly colored by empathy and sympathy for the Jewish people and their suffering in Europe during World War II, has been that the Jews migrated to Palestine to form a homeland, characterized by democracy, tolerance and peace. The fact that they were opposed by Arabs in this quest, despite world support and legitimacy, has painted the Arabs as...