Palestine

Synopsis

A powerful graphic novel, capturing the heart of day-to-day life in occupied Palestine.

In late 1991 and early 1992, at the time of the first Intifada, Joe Sacco spent two months with the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, travelling and taking notes.

Upon returning to the United States he started writing and drawing Palestine, which combines the techniques of eyewitness reportage with the medium of comic-book storytelling to explore this complex, emotionally weighty situation. He captures the heart of the Palestinian experience in image after unforgettable image, with great insight and remarkable humour.

The nine-issue comics series won a l996 American Book Award. It is now published for the first time in one volume, befitting its status as one of the great classics of graphic non-fiction.

'The bar is set extremely high when it comes to graphic books and the Middle East: one thinks of Joe Sacco's Palestine' Guy Delise

'Palestine is utterly compelling, and as affecting as the work of any war photographer or poet' Varsity

Summary

Chapter 1: The Promise

* Introduces the history of the Balfour Declaration (1917), which pledged British support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
* Discusses the role of British imperialism and the international context during World War I.
* Real example: The British White Paper of 1922, which sought to limit Jewish immigration and land acquisition in Palestine, provoked outrage from both Zionist and Arab leaders.

Chapter 2: The Mandate

* Explores the terms of the League of Nations' mandate over Palestine (1920-1948).
* Discusses the British administration's policies, including the establishment of a Jewish Agency and the regulation of Arab and Jewish land ownership.
* Real example: The Hebron massacre of 1929, in which over 60 Jews were killed in an Arab uprising, highlighted the growing tensions between the two communities.

Chapter 3: The Rising

* Examines the origins and escalation of the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
* Analyzes the impact of the revolt on British policy and the rise of Arab nationalism.
* Real example: The Peel Commission, appointed by the British to investigate the causes of the revolt, proposed a partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.

Chapter 4: The Holocaust

* Documents the events of the Holocaust during World War II and its impact on Palestine.
* Discusses the British restrictions on Jewish immigration during the war, which contributed to the deaths of countless refugees.
* Real example: The White Paper of 1939, which limited Jewish immigration to 75,000 over five years, is seen as a betrayal of the Balfour Declaration.

Chapter 5: The Partition

* Explores the international debate over Palestine after World War II.
* Analyzes the UN General Assembly's partition plan of 1947, which proposed dividing Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.
* Real example: The Arab League rejected the partition plan, arguing that it would lead to the establishment of a Jewish state on Arab land.

Chapter 6: The War and the Nakba

* Chronicles the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and its aftermath.
* Discusses the mass displacement of Palestinian Arabs during the war, known as the Nakba.
* Real example: The Deir Yassin massacre of 1948, in which Arab villagers were killed by Jewish forces, became an iconic event of the war.

Chapter 7: The Aftermath

* Examines the establishment of the State of Israel and the long-term consequences for Palestinians.
* Discusses the unresolved conflict, the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian self-determination.
* Real example: The Oslo Accords of 1993, which established the Palestinian Authority, were hailed as a step towards peace but did not resolve the core issues of the conflict.