The History of Israel and Biased Reporting
Well, I've finally nearly finished the 600-plus page epic that is Martin Gilbert's book on Israel. If you're interested, here's a link - partially gratuitous I'll admit, but it's my first attempt at linking on this software... Oh clever me, I managed it.
Anyway, this is an amazing book. It covers the history of modern Jewish settlement in the area now known as Israel since the mid-nineteenth century and right up to the present. There's a very useful feature - the year in question is written at the top of each page. I think this will make dipping back into the book for reference a lot quicker!
In so far as it is pretty much impossible for anyone who knows about this are of history to hold an unbiased view, this book comes very close. Gilbert doens't shy away from detailing Israel's less impressive moments and actions.
I'd recommend this book as a first stop for anyone who wants to know more about the history of Israel and specifically anyone wanting to convert to Judaism. You get enough of the historic stuff to see why Israel could come into being in the first place, and there's sufficient detail to give you a relatively detailed broad-brush overview without getting information overoad.
Many Jews I know say that the media, both in this country and beyond, is vehemently anti-Israel. Reporting events are "spun" such that, when reading the article, Israel appears to be the agressor, which is sometimes not the case. By reading this book I think I'm going to end up with a much clearer view of historical events and as such will be able to form my own opinions on the veracity of reports in the media. I don't think I'll be an expert on the issue anytime soon, but I'll be questioning what I read and paying it a lot more attention now I know some of the background to current events. This will help me to understand modern Israelis, and my Jewish friends who seem to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the situation.
There's a website (which will shortly be added to the small list on the right) dedicated to rooting out this type of journalism and alerting people to it. I'm not saying that Israel is always maligned, because I don't know enough to know that, but as I read this website it helps to clarify the real events and enhance my understanding. How can I understand modern Middle Eastern politics if I'm reading insidiously biased reports?
The website is honestreporting.com. There's a useful page giving an outline on "what is bias" and a story which caught my attention when I read it earlier this year. The story is a lesson on how far the truth can be twisted for a good story, and details events that happened in 2000. The story can be found here (however the main photograph is in black and white and better viewed on the HR homepage).
Anyway, this is an amazing book. It covers the history of modern Jewish settlement in the area now known as Israel since the mid-nineteenth century and right up to the present. There's a very useful feature - the year in question is written at the top of each page. I think this will make dipping back into the book for reference a lot quicker!
In so far as it is pretty much impossible for anyone who knows about this are of history to hold an unbiased view, this book comes very close. Gilbert doens't shy away from detailing Israel's less impressive moments and actions.
I'd recommend this book as a first stop for anyone who wants to know more about the history of Israel and specifically anyone wanting to convert to Judaism. You get enough of the historic stuff to see why Israel could come into being in the first place, and there's sufficient detail to give you a relatively detailed broad-brush overview without getting information overoad.
Many Jews I know say that the media, both in this country and beyond, is vehemently anti-Israel. Reporting events are "spun" such that, when reading the article, Israel appears to be the agressor, which is sometimes not the case. By reading this book I think I'm going to end up with a much clearer view of historical events and as such will be able to form my own opinions on the veracity of reports in the media. I don't think I'll be an expert on the issue anytime soon, but I'll be questioning what I read and paying it a lot more attention now I know some of the background to current events. This will help me to understand modern Israelis, and my Jewish friends who seem to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the situation.
There's a website (which will shortly be added to the small list on the right) dedicated to rooting out this type of journalism and alerting people to it. I'm not saying that Israel is always maligned, because I don't know enough to know that, but as I read this website it helps to clarify the real events and enhance my understanding. How can I understand modern Middle Eastern politics if I'm reading insidiously biased reports?
The website is honestreporting.com. There's a useful page giving an outline on "what is bias" and a story which caught my attention when I read it earlier this year. The story is a lesson on how far the truth can be twisted for a good story, and details events that happened in 2000. The story can be found here (however the main photograph is in black and white and better viewed on the HR homepage).
posted by Chaya at 12:30 pm
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