What Did We Do to Deserve This? by Mark Howell

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What Did We Do to Deserve This?Palestinian Life under Occupation in the West BankMark Howell

Released to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank (June 1967), this timely book exposes the realities of everyday life for Palestinians in the West Bank in the twenty-first century.

Based around photographs of, and interviews with, ordinary Palestinian people, it looks at all aspects of daily life ranging from restrictions on movement and imprisonment to the effects of the occupation on business, the practising of religion and the development of democracy.

Finding a solution to what is frequently termed the “Israeli-Palestinian conflict” is now widely acknowledged as an important step in reversing the growing gap between mainstream Muslim society and the West. By providing the reader with a comprehensive understanding of how Israel’s policies in the West Bank affect the lives of real people on the ground, it cuts through the smokescreens and political correctness that pervade coverage of the issue and offers the reader a new platform from which to form his or her own opinions.

Look insideTo download a selection of sample spreads from the book in PDF format, please click here (3 MB) or here (4 MB).

About the author

Mark Howell is a freelance photographer with a specific interest in the Middle East. He combines analytical skills derived from eight years experience as an English qualified lawyer with photographic craft honed during a Masters Degree in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography, to produce balanced, comprehensive and accessible works.

Reviews

Palestine Chronicle: “As an introductory view of the Palestinian situation, What Did We Do to Deserve This? is an excellent starting point. Hard-hitting, gritty, realistic, yet also compassionate and humanistic and ultimately, in spite of the negatives, hopeful. The hope is narrowing, the love of family, land, and culture remains.”

Palestine News: “Mr. Howell acts as a witness to the humanity of the Palestinians, which is movingly displayed in testimonies and photographs showing their activities, aspirations and emotions, as well as their suffering. … The book gives a rare opportunity to hear the voices of Palestinians, in an accessible format together with a succinct historical and political background.”

EXODUS

By Leon Uris


I can't tell you what is there in this book, because I m not qualified enough to say that. And it will be blasphemy to try to do that. But I will try to tell why you should read this book. So WHY!!!!

• Read this book if you want to know how a person feels if thrown out of his home for 3000 years.

• Read this book if you want to know how a person feels when treated as a secondary citizen for 3000 years.

• Read this book if you want to know how a person can still love God when God shows the utmost brutality towards him.

• Read this book if you want to know what is Ghetto.

• Read this book if you want to know how a person feels, when he knows his whole family is marked with most brutal death.

• Read this book if you want to know how it feels, when a person contributes in the low level work of the actual execution of his whole community.

• Read this book if you want to know how it feels, when everywhere you see but only one that is enemy.

• Read this book if you want to know, what patriotism is.

• Read this book if you want to know how it feels, to be in a Concentration camp.

• Read this book if you want to know how it feels, when your new born baby is snatched from you to be thrown in concentration camp.

• Read this book if you want to know what is ISRAEL all about.

• Read this book if you want to know why there is constant war in GULF.

• Read this book if you want to know how Judaism gave birth to two of the most followed religions of the world.

• Read this book if you want to know what impact Holy Wars is having on today’s political landscape

• Read this book if you want to know, that why everybody says “Its good to die for your country”, while Israeli’s says “It’s good to have country to die for”.

• Read this book if you want to understand, how a teenager is trained to become a soldier for the survival.

• Read this book if you want to understand, what despair is.

• Read this book if you want to understand, what faith is.

• Read this book if you want to understand, what courage is.

While reading this book I cried for hours. And it is one of the only three books I have wept while reading. One is Lajja, you can see its review in this blog and the second one is this and wait for the third one. What I can say about this book is that it’s a matter of experience rather than narration.