Encyclopedia of the Palestinians

"The scholarship and the balanced nature of a controversial, highly partisan issue are what make this volume important and useful to students of current events. The articles are clear and accessible, and discuss the political movements, arts, customs, and individuals that have made an impact on the Palestinian world."--"Outstanding Reference Sources," American Libraries, May 2001.

The Palestine conflict has been at the core of the Arab-Israeli dispute for over half a century. There are numerous fine books on various aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Palestinian issues have received extensive media coverage throughout the world. Yet misperceptions about the Palestinian people and their history abound in both popular and, to some extent, scholarly circles in the West. The editor, a Jerusalem-born Palestinian American, is the executive director of the American branch of the Institute for Palestine Studies and deputy director of the Journal of Palestine Studies. In this solid reference work, the editor and approximately 50 other scholars have put together extremely useful entries on all aspects of historical and contemporary issues affecting the Palestinian people. The topics covered include politics, culture, society, history, economics, and geography. Also included are significant events and biographies of important individuals whose lives have shaped the contours of modern Palestinian history. This encyclopedia will remain a definitive work on Palestine for years to come. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.
-Nader Entessar, Spring Hill Coll., Mobile, AL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Mattar, coeditor of the well-received Encyclopedia of the Modern Mid dle East (1996), directs the Institute for Palestine Studies, an independent nonprofit research and publication center not affiliated with any political organization or government. IPS promotes analysis and documentation on the Arab-Israeli conflict and its peaceful resolution and publishes quarterlies in English, Arabic, and French. The aim of this encyclopedia is to provide a readable, complete resource on significant topics in Palestinian history and society during the late Ottoman era, British rule, and post-1948 period. The 320 alphabetically arranged articles are signed, although the affiliations of the 48 American, Palestinian, and Israeli contributors are not given. Michael Fischbach, one of the frequent contributors, has published extensively on the Middle East; other contributors' writings can be found in the bibliographies at the end of some entries or in the 14-page annotated general bibliography. Approximately one-third of the entries are biographical, and the rest cover politics, events, geography, economics, culture, organizations, conferences, and documents. Cross-references are indicated in small caps within the articles. The writing is clear, concise, and objective, providing both details and the larger picture. The importance of the topic generally determines the length. Women is comprehensive and balanced. The entry on Edward Said, a prominent intellectual, is overlong, as it covers his writings beyond Palestinian matters. Objectivity is shown in discussions of criticism by other Palestinian leaders of the autocratic leadership of Yasir Arafat, human rights violations by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and the reasons the Mufti of Jerusalem failed. Biographical entries provide the year of birth (sometimes not definite), city of birth (or location, such as refugee camp), and year of death. Entries on several families reflect continuity of leadership and professional attainments through generations. The work is quite current, noting some events that occurred in early 1999. A 10-page chronology covers events from 638 to May 1999. The work succeeds in succinctly and impartially conveying the facts of Palestinian history and society. As peace evolves in the Middle East, it will be a valuable resource for general and advanced users. RBB
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