Moment of Truth

A half-century into the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Israel’s Occupation at Fifty brings together eminent political leaders, scholars, and activists for a wide-ranging, at times contentious, and remarkably fruitful discussion of the region’s fate.

A simple observation that ought to astonish more than it does: the Israel-Palestine conflict continues. A century on from the Balfour Declaration, 50 years since the fateful war of 1967, and a full decade into the brutal siege of Gaza, Israel's occupation is more entrenched than ever while Palestinian self-determination has never been so remote. This is a record that should inspire intellectual humility as well as political urgency; a readiness to acknowledge that, on myriad questions bearing on the prospects for resolving the conflict, compelling arguments can be advanced from multiple sides.

This book brings together an unprecedented wealth of expertise—encompassing political leaders, preeminent scholars, and dedicated activists from Israel, Palestine, and abroad—in direct critical exchange on the issues at the heart of the world's most intractable war. Has Israel's vast settlement enterprise made a Palestinian state impossible? Can the Palestinian leadership end the occupation? Is Israel's rule in the Palestinian territories a form of apartheid? What role must the United States play in securing a just peace? In a series of compelling, illuminating and at times no-holds-barred debates, leading authorities tackle these and other problems, exposing myths, challenging preconceptions, and providing a more sober and informed basis for political action.