The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East

Over the two and a half decades that I’ve worked for a just settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict I have come to believe that perhaps the greatest roadblock to progress is the two distinct and separate narratives maintained by Israelis/Jews and Palestinians/Arabs. The Lemon Tree seeks to bridge this gap, using the life stories of a Palestinian and Israeli family and the house (with a lemon tree in the yard) they each lived in, to recount the history of Jewish-Palestinian conflict.

Although filled with important historical detail, the compelling story of Bashir, Dalia and their families makes for a very emotional and engaging read. While one can always question the perspective with which historical incidents are described, I found the history to be accurate, balanced and well-documented. If you’re looking to get beyond the hype and propaganda to understand the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, The Lemon Tree is a great place to start.
- Thanks to Andy Mager of the Syracuse Peace Council for this review

Softcover, 5x8, 362pp.,2006