Rating: 
Summary: Read it. Period.
Review: "Arabs & Israel For Beginners," by Ron David, is a book every American - especially us Goyims - should read. Caveat: Be aware of the extreme bias Mr. David appears to have against "the Nation of Israel."STRENGTHS OF THE BOOK:
It gives a mostly accurate history of the Middle East. (As an educated historian who has researched and taught Mid-East History for over 25 years, I recognize the inaccuracies in the book. They are minor.) The gross injustices suffered by the people of Palestine at the hands of the Israelis are mostly factual. Without question, the miserable living conditions the Palestinians face every day are true. Were the Palestinians forced out of the Land of Palestine by force? Certainly. Would "the Nation of Israel" exist today without the direct help of the United Nations and the direct financial aid from the West? No. Thus Mr. David is mostly historically accurate. It also reveals the medias (here in America, at least) abject failure to report on the "Mid-East Crises" in an objective way. I also simply must add that Mr. David has a sarcastic sense of humor that appeals to me. WEAKNESSES IN THE BOOK:
The documentation for this book is rather weak. The book only has a Partial Bibliography, an Index, et al. It has no footnotes. Thus for the uneducated in this area of history, there might be a tendency to believe Mr. David's entire account as the veritable word of God. In short, any history book should be well-documented. But this one is poorly-documented (in my opinion). Further, some aspects of the books are misleading. For example, on occasion Mr. David omits a crucial word in a direct quote. This makes the quote misleading. I assume Mr. David did not intend to mislead. I assume he made an honest mistake. But the fact remains this is misleading.
But without question, the most troubling weakness of Mr. David's book is that he appears to be vehemently anti-Israel. The sarcasm literally streams with almost every mention of modern-day Israel. Unless one can overlook what appears to be his extreme bias towards Israel, it hurts his credibility. All of the above said, it is an outstanding book. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: Giant Panda Says: GET IT, READ IT, then Share with Friends
Review: ... Seriously, [I] read through the book thoroughly [and came] out with the following conclusions:
1) The book is exteremely fun to read (I read it in one night)
2) The book is thoroughly researched (with many good references at the end - including Israeli sources).
3) While each reader have their preferences regarding style of the book, there is no question the reader will a lot. I considered myself an "expert" on the middle east and still learned many new things.
4) The facts mentioned can all be verified .. (of course it is good to do your own research about any book you read).
5) You will come out with a good understanding of the Middle East. Of course, some of the things in it will seem unbelievable at first sight or extremely shocking, which is natural. Truth is shocking when it is revealed about a subject that has been so misrepresented and propagandized. So the one prerequisite for reading this book is an OPEN MIND and an inquisitive spirit. If, one the other hand, you like others to do the thinking for you, just tune back to CNN or Hollywood and don't bother reading anything.
Rating: 
Summary: Hmm.
Review: What to say about this book?
Yes, it is biased to the nth degree- it has no pretensions to the contrary, though, so we can't fault it for that. (...)It can run thin on certain topics- like early Zionism, for example. Much better books on the topic from a similar viewpoint exist, such as Chomsky's 'The Fateful Triangle'- a scholarly, tasteful, and engaging, if also unashamedly biased, exploration of the subject. Just note how readily David regurgitates him; obvious 'borrowing' is an obvious sign of quality.
However, this is a good ultra-quick, ultra-dirty guide both to the flaws of the status quo and to 'anti-Zionist' thinking. It's perfect for debates and light essays- both for easy collection of facts to back up one's argument and understanding 'the other side'. Think of it as Cliff Notes for Chomsky and Said, if you will- it would be a grave insult to author, viewpoint it represents, and reader to think of it as anything more serious.
Rating: 
Summary: read it, but carry a cellar of salt!
Review: This book is certainly biased, not least because it doesn't provide a dispassionate outline of Israeli-Jewish aims from a Jewish perspective. However, it provides valuable facts that you'll never hear in the U.S. media, so for that reason alone it's worth reading. I think it is a good beginners book because it will inspire readers to read further, and that's what this conflict needs - a better-informed world.
David has a flippant style, which is irritating on occasion, and the book is full of typos, some of them glaring. He's also unforgivably causal with his facts on occasion, for example a number is 35,000 on one page and 3-5000 on another.
Well worth the cheap price, but only if you're prepared to follow up with more - of course, that goes for EVERY book on this subject, all of which come loaded with their own agendas!
Rating:
Summary: Crucial reading as the West starts another Middle East war
Review: As someone who worked as a UN-employed doctor in the Gaza Strip for two years, I have first hand experience of life under Israeli military occupation. Although this book does not cover the very recent history of the conflict between Israel and the Arabs, it is probably the best summary I have read in the forty years since I began reading books and articles about the history and politics of the Palestinian/Israeli tragedy. As the West prepares to start a second war in the Middle East, there is now open discussion within and outside Israel about the need to ethnically cleanse the territories that Israel has occupied illegally and colonized since 1967. Apologists for the policies of Israel - a nation with weapons of mass destruction, which flouts international law and ignores its responsibilities under the 4th Geneva Convention - do nothing to secure the long term future of Israelis. A common tactic used to respond to critics of Israeli policies - including Jewish critics - is to suggest that they are anti-semites! This book will help people to understand just how cheap a tactic this is. It does nothing for the image of Jews and Judaism to imply that the interests of the religion and its adherents coincide with the interests of a colonialist state created in the 20th century. For people who want to understand the expansionist nature of the Zionist project, there is no better place to start than Ron and Susan David's excellent book. I hope they publish an updated edition, and that their work does not become yet another victim of censorship and suppression of views questioning the moral credentials of Zionism.
Rating:
Summary: "The truth hits everybody!"
Review: AWESOME...is the best way to describe this book. Not for the diehard Zionist. This book presents the truth about Israel since its inception, Israeli apartheid rule (not Democratic unless you're a Jew) and the thievery of U.S. taxpayers dollars.
True, there are some crucial facts about Jews under Islamic rule that are missing. However, it doesn't cover the Spanish Inquisition either. Read this along with Chomsky's Fateful Triangle, Said's Question of Palestine, and Ralph Schoenman's Hidden History of Zionism and you'll get a pretty clear picture of the Zionist philosophy. If you really want a shock, read Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of 3000 Years by Israel Shahak ...Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing book
Review: This is the best book I've read so far this year ... it should be required reading for all Israelis and Americans, who are consistently only given one side of the story. That's kind of what the book is all about ... what we're *not* being told. This book tells it loud and clear, and backs it up with impeccable references. I can't recommend it enough... it is needed now more than ever. I will read through it once more (it's a very quick read) and will then start lending it to all my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent coverage of the issues...
Review: This book does a superb job of giving some verifiable facts about the Arabs and Jews and the issues they have with each other. It should be required reading for everyone in America...so that they can better understand why the United States supports Israel SO much (its all about politics and money), and why the Palestinians are so angry about not getting to live in all of Palestine. There are plenty of references, so if you suspect any bias from the author you can just go to the source of the information and see what is said for yourself. I learnt a lot about the issues in the region, and why the Jews and the Arabs are at each other's throats. In just 2 or 3 hours you'll have more facts at your fingertips on this issue than almost anyone you know or will meet. The only trouble is that you'll get annoyed on a regular basis at the very biased pro-Israeli media we have in the USA, and long for a more balanced perspective. I've had plenty of fasinating discussions with people since I read this book, and have found that few people really have any clear understanding of any of the issues. Having read this book I felt well versed in many of the issues, and have engaged many learned people to probe and test their understanding. A MUST READ!!
Rating: 
Summary: A Required Objective View
Review: More than a protest against Israel and an insistence on nullifying the existence of the state, the author urges, or rather insists on the objective truth to be exclaimed first, and then further debate to ensue. Some of the negative critique on this book were written by subjective, ethnically biased, close minded hotheads screaming that Ron David promotes a one sided view. The 'other side's view'. They should consider the reality that so many of his statements made in this book seem so skewed to them only due to the factual truth behind them suddenly exposing misconceptions they had carried through their whole life. Prior to reading this book I also had a slew of them.
Rating:
Summary: Fearless Mythbreaking for the Open Minded
Review: For those of use raised on the prevailing myths about the Middle East, this book is a serious eye-opener. Admittedly, Israel's image is tarnished. But does criticizing US policy make me anti-Christian? No. So retracing Israeli military policy does not makes a book anti-Semitic. If you are wondering about the who, what, when, where and why of the tortuous Middle East crisis this is a great place to start. There is never a dull minute in this book.
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