New book by Norman Finkelstein explores Israel’s assault on Gaza
Method and Madness: The hidden story of Israel’s assaults on Gaza
“Mr. Finkelstein[‘s] … research is certainly thorough. His characterizations, too, can be brilliant, and he spares nobody …”
—The Economist
Perceptions about the Israeli-Palestine conflict are changing. The UK recently voted to recognize Palestine as a state, and other European countries are clambering to follow suit. The New Yorker ran a cover story on the changing sentiment in the American-Jewish community towards Israel’s right-wing stance. “American audiences,” a New York Magazine article begins, “are seeing the story of the conflict, perhaps more than ever before, through Palestinian eyes.”
While the mainstream is only now becoming critical of Israel’s actions, Norman G. Finkelstein has long been an outspoken opponent of all violence in the Middle East. His latest work, Method and Madness: The Hidden Story of Israel’s Assaults on Gaza, upholds his reputation as one of the area’s most insightful commentators.
Looking at Israel’s major military operations of the last six years, Finkelstein reveals that Israel’s “defensive” measures have been motivated by political calculation: a desire to keep Palestine politically fractured and a need for Palestinian pleas to be seen and dismissed as terrorist demands. Perhaps even more vital than his scholarship of the recent past is Finkelstein’s prescription for peace. He concludes his book with an argument that only global nonviolent protests lead by Palestinians can put an end to the madness. Providing context and possible solutions, Finkelstein’s latest book is vital, pithy, and required reading for any interested in the Middle East.
Norman G. Finkelstein received his doctorate in 1988 from the Department of Politics at Princeton University. For many years he taught political theory and the Israel-Palestine conflict. Finkelstein is the author of a number of books, among them Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History (University of California Press, 2005) and The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering (Verso, 2000).
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
Click here to send Ray Hanania email.
Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
- Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues - March 18, 2023
- AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC - March 13, 2023
- Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan - February 22, 2023
