A View from the Eye of the Storm
Haim Harari
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Buy *A View from the Eye of the Storm: Terror and Reason in the Middle East* online

A View from the Eye of the Storm: Terror and Reason in the Middle East
Haim Harari
ReganBooks
Hardcover
240 pages
April 2005
rated 4 1/2 of 5 possible stars
previous reviewnext review

Haim Harari is a fifth-generation Israeli and theoretical physicist who uses the unique perspective of living in the eye of the storm and his discipline and adherence to logic brought about by his training as a scientist to speak to the heart of the problems preventing peace between Israel and Palestine. He uses the analogy of the proverbial taxi driver to demonstrate his points very effectively.

In the United States, anti-Semitism is most often associated with groups like the Klu Klux Klan and skinheads - rednecks and the extremely ignorant in other words. Organizations like the International Red Cross, the UN Human Rights Commission, and the International Court of Justice do not even register on our radar, and Harari's points about these organizations will shock many readers. The number of racial slurs tossed about casually by politicians and the media in Europe will come as a surprise as well, including this example:

"It was equally unbelievable when the French ambassador to London, at a social evening attended by many influential people, referred to Israel as 'that shitty little country,' explaining that most of the troubles of the world would disappear if Israel did not exist."
If Craig Roberts Stapleton (the current United States ambassador to France) had made such a statement about France in any conversation private or otherwise, the international press would flay him alive and nothing short of a groveling apology and probably dismissal would smooth the problem over.

Harari does an excellent job covering the manipulation of media by terrorists and gives the reader a great deal to think about while perusing Internet news or the newspaper. Especially enlightening is the section concerning photographs which can leave the reader with a totally different impression of a news story than what the text relates.

Despite viewing the current the world situation as an undeclared World War III, the author remains optimistic that peace between Israel and Palestine is possible and will happen one day when certain criteria are met. One of the biggest obstacles, in my opinion, is not only the concessions the two countries have to make, but holding media of all type responsible for the blatant lies they express - lies that incite racism and violence and death. Haim Harari has written a timely, logical book exposing everyday lies disguised as historical truth and "evenhanded" reporting.



Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Pamela Crossland, 2005

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