Kenneth Casler

Welcome to Palestine: Chronicles of a Season in Ramallah Kenneth Casler

Recent books on the situation in the Occupied Territories focus on the violent confrontations between the Israelis and Palestinians. With the exception of Amira Hass, no Jewish journalist has ever worked in the Occupied Territories. Most journalists cross over into Palestine only when there are newsworthy incidents. Anne Brunswic takes a different approach establishing residence in Ramallah for a season. Her engaging day-to-day contacts with Palestinians provides her narrative with depth. Her insights help the reader understand why the direct peace agreements negotiated between Tel Aviv and Washington are divorced from the aspirations of the Palestinian people. Why the policy of collective punishment against the Palestinian population leads to radicalisation. Her portrayal of the occupation through the experience of ordinary Palestinians reveals a cynical enterprise that fosters colonisation under the pretext of guaranteeing the security of Israeli citizens.