With all of the heat surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even the most basic facts can be hard to grasp. How do we make sense of what we read in the Bible―and what we read in the news? In this Skeptics Guide, Dale Hanson Bourke sheds light on the places, terms, history, and current issues shaping this important region. Offering an even-handed presentation of a range of views on the most controversial issues, she provides a framework for American Christians to use in understanding why the conflict occurred, why it continues―and what remains to be done. With maps, charts, photos, and quotes, the guide answers such tough questions as: What is meant by a two-state solution? Who are the Palestinian Christians? Do other countries help or hurt the peace process? How does the Arab spring affect the conflict? Easy to read and understand, this dynamic guide offers the type of presentation that has made the Skeptic's Guide series so popular with individuals and groups. Offering basic information and simplifying complex issues, it is a helpful reference tool for beginners and experts alike.
"Some books are just necessary. This is one of them. When it comes to the conflicts in the Middle East, it is too easy to rush to judgment and opinions without understanding. Slowly, inexorably and beautifully, Dale Hanson Bourke untangles the jumbled mess and separates fact from fiction. What's even more beautiful is that she leaves the conclusions to you--a rare gift indeed."
Nancy Ortberg, author of Looking for God
"The author has accomplished a difficult, important feat simply by providing a working vocabulary to help people understand what is at stake to both parties. It is a simple (accessible) but never simplistic (naïve) guide that is quite valuable for congregations seeking to have a good conversation."
Roy W. Howard, Presbyterian Outlook, June 24, 2013
"When someone asks me what they should read to understand what's going on in Israel, I point them immediately and unreservedly to The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict."
