|
Noted Palestinian
historian Khalidi presents the most credible
argument to date in English for the existence of an amorphous
Palestinian territory with an identifiable population existing
before the emergence of political Zionism. The author's
primary purpose is to establish the origins of a Palestinian
national consciousness, which he does superbly, even with the
obvious animus toward Israel and Zionism. Khalidi's research
was greatly enhanced by his access to the family library in
Jerusalem, bringing to light certain documentation for the
first time. His historiographic method is path-breaking,
including coverage of nonelite elements of Palestinian society
involved in the development of a nationalistic sentiment.
Essential reading along with Muhammad Muslih's The Origins of
Palestinian Nationalism
|
