The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

Compare and contrast the “official” Israeli historical narrative of 1948 with the Palestinian narrative of the Nakba. What does Pappé’s book add to these accounts?

How does Pappé characterize Zionist ideology? What role does the historical persecution of the Jews (such as the Holocaust) play in Zionism and its motivations?

According to Pappé, what prevented Zionist leaders like Ben-Gurion from considering a state in which they and the Palestinians lived together as equals?

Discuss the role King Abdullah of Jordan played in the 1948 conflict. How and why did Abdullah undermine the Palestinians’ interests? How are the consequences of his decisions relevant today?

What is the difference between ethnic cleansing and genocide? Why does Pappé classify the Nakba as ethnic cleansing but not genocide?

How have Western powers like the US and the UN stood in the way of a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians? What role should the international community play in conflicts like that between Palestinians and Israelis? Use evidence from the book to back up your opinion.

What is the “demographic problem”? How has Israel’s response to this problem created a further impediment to peace?

The Zionists employed human rights abuses such as intimidation and massacres to achieve their goals in 1948. How do these abuses continue to impact the Palestinian and Israeli people today?