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The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace Paperback – April 28, 2020

by Adi Schwartz (Author), Einat Wilf (Author)

393 ratings

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"Two prominent Israeli liberals argue that for the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians to end with peace, Palestinians must come to terms with the fact that there will be no "right of return." In 1948, seven hundred thousand Palestinians were forced out of their homes by the first Arab-Israeli War. More than seventy years later, most of their houses are long gone, but millions of their descendants are still registered as refugees, with many living in refugee camps. This group-unlike countless others that were displaced in the aftermath of World War II and other conflicts-has remained unsettled, demanding to settle in the state of Israel. Their belief in a "right of return" is one of the largest obstacles to successful diplomacy and lasting peace in the region. In The War of Return, Adi Schwartz and Einat Wilf-both liberal Israelis supportive of a two-state solution-reveal the origins of the idea of a right of return, and explain how UNRWA - the very agency charged with finding a solution for the refugees - gave in to Palestinian, Arab and international political pressure to create a permanent "refugee" problem. They argue that this Palestinian demand for a "right of return" has no legal or moral basis and make an impassioned plea for the US, the UN, and the EU to recognize this fact, for the good of Israelis and Palestinians alike. A runaway bestseller in Israel, the first English translation of The War of Return is certain to spark lively debate throughout America and abroad"--

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About the Author

ADI SCHWARTZ is an Israeli researcher and author. His work focuses on the Arab-Israeli conflict and Israeli history and current affairs.

EINAT WILF is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of Knesset for Independence and the Labor Party. She is one of Israel's leading public intellectuals.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin (April 28, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250364841
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250364845
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.75 x 9.15 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #71,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #32 in International Diplomacy (Books)
- #81 in Middle Eastern Politics
- #96 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)

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Adi Schwartz
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Mr. Adi Schwartz is a researcher, lecturer and author, focusing on issues relating to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is the author, together with former Member of the Knesset Einat Wilf, of The War of Return, a Hebrew bestseller which will appear in 2020 in English by St. Martin's Press (Macmillan).
Schwartz is an expert on two of his main research topics - the Palestinian refugee problem and the history of Jews from Arab countries (Mizrahim). He is currently writing his PhD dissertation at the department of Political Science in Bar-Ilan University on the Arab-Israeli conflict. He has a BA in European History from Tel Aviv University, and an MA (with distinction) in Political Science from Bar-Ilan University. He is a Fellow at the Center for International Communications in Bar-Ilan University.
Mr. Schwartz is a published author in both English and Hebrew. A former staff writer and senior editor for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, he has published articles in the Israeli press, as well as in The Wall Street Journal, The Forward, The Tablet and The Jewish Chronicle.
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Einat Wilf
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Dr. Einat Wilf is a leading intellectual and original thinker on matters of foreign policy, economics, education, and Israel and the Jewish people. She is considered one of Israel’s most articulate representatives on the international stage. Her opinion articles are regularly published in international publications and she is frequently interviewed for television and radio programs around the world. She was a member of the Israeli Parliament from 2010-2013 on behalf of the Labor and Independence parties.
Dr. Wilf has a BA in Government and Fine Arts from Harvard University, an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge. Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Wilf served as an Intelligence Officer in the Israel Defense Forces.
Dr. Wilf’s past experiences include Chair of the Education, Sports and Culture Committee, Chair of the Knesset Sub-Committee for Israel and the Jewish People, and Member of the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the 18th Knesset. She served as the Baye Foundation Adjunct Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a Senior Fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and a strategic consultant with McKinsey & Company.
Dr. Wilf is the author of six books that explore key issues in Israeli society: “My Israel, Our Generation”, “Back to Basics: How to Save Israeli Education (at no additional cost)“, “It’s NOT the Electoral System, Stupid”, “Winning the War of Words”, and her two most books are “Telling Our Story” - a collection of Wilf’s essays on Israel, Zionism and the path to peace, and “The War of Return” on the perpetuation of the Palestinian refugee issue.
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Customers find the book insightful and well-researched, with one noting it explains the situation brilliantly. They appreciate its readability, with one customer describing it as easy to read.

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Customers find the book insightful and well-researched, with one customer describing it as fascinating from beginning to end.

"...This is a well researched book, it tells stories from the perspective of the people involved, whenever possible or relevant...." Read more

"This book was fascinating from beginning to end...." Read more

"An excellent book that explains brilliantly the reasons for the long-running Palestinian problem and what's necessary to achieve a lasting peace." Read more

"...This book is outstanding, easy to read, well researched, and clarified the issues for me...." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read.

"...This book is outstanding, easy to read, well researched, and clarified the issues for me...." Read more

"...Einat articulates each argument and point thoroughly and eloquently and even lists a plethora of sources in the bibliography...." Read more

"This is a very good read and timely book for those who want a deep understanding of the current conflict." Read more

"Very important book that is well written and clarifies the recipe and missing piece for that elusive peace...." Read more

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I had no idea about any of this
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2024
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This book was a gift. I've been trying to understand why the problems in the Middle East never seem to get solved. And my birthday came up and I got this book. And Wow. This is really something to think about. Almost every news article will.... well they don't contradict it, but they leave this part out, always. This lie of omission leads to an implication, several implications. And those implied assumptions have been floating around for so long, they're assumed to be true. But here's the only truth:

When a Palestinian says they are a "refugee" they mean they're waiting to return back to their ancestor's property. This is usually inside Israel. The Palestinian is usually a citizen already in some Western country like the US, going to the same schools and colleges, having the same jobs. But they are still a "refugee" in their eyes. Not really. They just say that. But what htey usually say is they have a "right of return" to Israel.

And this return is envisioned to happen after the fall of Israel, and departure of the Jews from the Middle East.

Yeah so this is the War of Return. The war that will not end. Israel is strong and well defended, therefore, the terrorism against it doesn't end, because the only satisfactory goal of the Palestinians, is the destruction of Israel and their return to the land that "was" Israel.

To make matters worse, as if the ideology wasn't enough. UNRWA is the administration of their identity, of their right of return paperwork (literally their "deed" ownership, not recognized by Israel), the school system that glorifies martyrs, and provides free food rations. But these aren't poor refugees, most are living in the west. Some are living in normal homes. Only a small portion are living in poverty. So the aid is redundant in many places and sold at markets. The money goes to terror groups, which they use to build infrastructure to attack Israel.

The final insult is that the US and EU have been largely footing the bill for UNRWA for decades, since the 1950s.

This is a well researched book, it tells stories from the perspective of the people involved, whenever possible or relevant. But it's not entirely political, it's mainly descriptive. Though it can hardly be neutral when it deals with corruption and terrorists.

I was riveted to the book. I kept looking things up, because it's like, "Why have I never heard of this before?" But everything I looked up checked out. It was really mind blowing.

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12 people found this helpful

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Karen S. Robinette
History of the geopolitics of the Israel-Palestinian conflict from the early 20th century to 2022.
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2025
Verified Purchase
This book was fascinating from beginning to end. The authors detail the key events affecting this conflict including decisions made by the U.N., the U.S. government, Middle Eastern Arab governments, the Israeli government, Palestinian leaders, and UNRWA from the end of WWI through 2022. They cite hundreds of documents and quotations from all of the organizations and leaders involved while demonstrating that this conflict has never been about how to divide the land. It has been about Arab Muslim leaders unwillingness to allow any land in the Middle East to be under Jewish control. The authors also detail the role of U.N.R.W.A. and the U.N. in propagating the idea of a Palestinian people (non-existent before the formation of Israel) demanding a "right of return" as a tool for forcing Jews out of Israel.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone truly interested in understanding the history of this conflict or in making policies connected with it that might have any chance of success.

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Marshall Gittler
A brilliant book
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2025
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An excellent book that explains brilliantly the reasons for the long-running Palestinian problem and what's necessary to achieve a lasting peace.

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Kindle Customer
Keeping the refugees unsettled
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
Basically this is the pro-Israel version of why UNRWA must be repealed and replaced with an organization dedicated to helping the grandchildren of 1948 refugees build new lives, just as the Jewish refugees did several decades ago.

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2 people found this helpful

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B. Daryl
Outstanding book that clarifies the situation in the Middle East
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2024
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I had been looking for a book that would clarify the complex situation in the Middle East and "how we got here." This book is outstanding, easy to read, well researched, and clarified the issues for me. Coverage in the news media (and social media) is usually biased and often simply incorrect. This book has helped me sort out truth from hyperbole. The only shortcoming is that the book was published in April of 2020 and therefore does not include Oct. 7 nor the resulting war. If the authors were to write a new chapter to elucidate the events since the first edition, I would enthusiastically read it.

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5 people found this helpful

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Russell Gold
An extremely informative book
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2025
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The authors provide a strong evidence based assessment of the Palestinian cause, and how the world allowed it to become simple destructive, while completely bypassing what the world seems to think they want - a home of their own. Sadly, their own actions demonstrate otherwise, and the world just ignores all of the evidence.

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The most thoughtful takedown of UNRWA
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025
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Excellent book. It gets progressively more interesting the farther along you read. Einat articulates each argument and point thoroughly and eloquently and even lists a plethora of sources in the bibliography. Truly an interesting and necessary read in these times.

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Laura Magid
Crucial book to understanding the Israeli-Arab conflict
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
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Especially these days, one can drown in narratives.
Tiktok, Instagram and Twitter can convince people that the barbaric atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th were somehow an essential and expected response the Israel's actions...

This book, which was written a decade ago by two left wing writers, dug into the conflict in pursuit of an explanation to "what happened", or "what did Israel do wrong while seeking peace with the Palestinians".
They were surprised by what they found....

They found the root essence behind the chant "From the river to the sea..."

If you ever chanted that during a protest, this is a must have book.

If you're smart enough to understand that Tiktok and Instagram vids are trying to trick you, and you're smart enough to understand this is not something you can understand through a 30 second vid, this book is for you.

If you support Israel but can't understand "why can't they just agree to give the Palestinians what they want?", this book is for you.

Most important book you'll ever read about the conflict.

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Peter Herold
Shocking Palestinian "permanent, 'refugee' status with supposed right to return to Israel"
Reviewed in Germany on December 24, 2023
Verified Purchase

This book explains very well why a supposed "right to return" - to where their ancestors lived 75 years ago in what is now Israel - passed down from one generation to the next for Palestinian "refugees" is inconsistent (1) with "the way things work for everyone else in history", (2) unique (and uniquely distorted) compared to treatment of refugees by UNHCR, (3) a major obstacle to peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

As Bill Maher points out in "New Rule: From the River to the Sea | Real Time" on 16 December 2023, after wars in the 20th century were ended by peace treaties, many millions of people were or remained displaced, and with international support, e.g. from UNHCR after 1951, made new lives. They got on with things. This doesn't apply to the people displaced from what is now Israel. Neighboring Arab countries didn't want to accept the Palestinians and they (or more exactly their descendants) are still classed as "refugees", even if they live permanently in e.g. Jordan or the USA and hold citizenship of these countries. UNRWA gets funding from donors for all these "refugees", even if they have made new lives elsewhere. Instead of helping refugees integrate where they are living now, as UNHCR does, UNRWA works to reinforce this refugee mentality with a supposed (no basis in international law or UN resolutions) "right to return". The number of such "refugees" has increased from 700k in 1948 to 5,5 million today. This means more jobs for its Palestinian workforce, including for school education which reinforces the sense of refugee identity and hatred of Israel.

Even if you don't agree with the political positions, the fact that this unique "permanent, passed down to successive generations, 'refugee' status with right to return to Israel" exists and is promoted by UNRWA with Western donor funding should be a major wake-up call for all those interested in peace in the Middle East.

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DAVID
Ottimo libro
Reviewed in Italy on June 18, 2020
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Questo è un ottimo libro lo consiglio. Molto dettagliato e ricco di fonti. Scritto in maniera semplice e comprensibile. Davvero ottimo.

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Adelaide lass
Excellent service
Reviewed in Australia on July 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
Once ordering the book, I was told of the longer delivery time but the new delivery time was clearly stated. The book arrived on time, in excellent condition and is a good read.
It is important to read well researched books about contested current events to make an informed opinion.

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Laura
Easy and interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 22, 2024
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Lots of interesting information- very quick to navigate through. Reading this makes you aware how much isn’t known about Israel in the west. A must read!

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Thomas Brasch
Definitive explanation - well-documented - historical without being dry academic read.
Reviewed in Canada on November 12, 2024
Verified Purchase
I will no longer argue with anybody about the Middle East. I will only ask that they read this book and challenge them to find an equivalent well-documented and well-researched publication that tells a different interpretation of the historical facts. Twenty-five percent of the book is notes and a bibliography. Though written by Israeli academics, the book is an unbiased account that gets to the heart of the matter. It was never about the land - it's about the existence of Jews living on what is perceived as exclusively Arabic lands.

I can relate quite clearly to the Palestinian situation as my parents were ethnic Germans, two of twelve million, who were expelled from Eastern European countries and lost land, homes and businesses. However, although there was an equivalent Germanic movement, "Heimkehr," the notion of reclaiming your homeland, the Right of Return was quashed to keep the peace and avoid future conflict. Under a similar UNRWAS perception, I would still be considered a refugee with a claim to return to either Hungary and Czechia. In my mid-sixties, such a notion is ridiculous. My parents have moved on and I have moved on and have created a new life filled with accomplishments instead of languishing in thoughts of what would have been.

The factors which lead to the two different outcomes are indeed different and were influenced by factors of the Cold War initially. However, at the end of the day, the results must be the same. Palestinians will have to negotiate with Israelis in good faith in order to achieve permanent peace in a two-state solution. There is no right of return for any of the hundreds of millions of refugees throughout history. The Palestinians have no special exemption or extra privilege in this arena.

Anybody who thinks they know what Palestinians really want or seek during negotiations should check out the reference made by the authors of "west-splaining". Give them some credit. They know what they want but they cannot be humoured to think it's an all or nothing game.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Shocking Palestinian "permanent, 'refugee' status with supposed right to return to Israel"

5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo libro

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent service

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy and interesting read

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive explanation - well-documented - historical without being dry academic read.

Shocking Palestinian "permanent, 'refugee' status with supposed right to return to Israel"

Ottimo libro

Excellent service

Easy and interesting read

Definitive explanation - well-documented - historical without being dry academic read.