How Israel Lost:  The Four Questions

by Richard Ben Cramer
New York:  Simon and Schuster, 2004.  Pp. 307

Reviewed by Dr. Susan K. Hedahl

            Richard Ben Cramer is a reporter, keen observer and worker in the Middle East and winner of a Pulitzer Prize.  If you want a book that is funny, incisive and balanced about the conflict between Israel and Palestine –this is the book.

            The so-called "four questions" of the title form the four major chapters of the book:

I.  Why do we care about Israel?; II.  Why don't the Palestinians have a state?; III.  What is a Jewish state?; IV.  Why is there no peace?

            Political, geographical and religious analyses in this book are dizzying.  Clearly Cramer has been there. thought about it and reach some definite conclusions.  His encyclopedic ability to catalogue political gaming is staggering: if you did not believe in the ultimate art of "the deal," you will after reading this book.  Whether it is Israel versus Palestine, warfare among the Jews or among the Palestinians themselves or how world powers continue to meddle in the Middle East (truly a long and disgusting history here), Cramer can sort it out for you.

            The writing in this book is journalistic and sometimes very, very funny.  He starts the book with references to his Jewish upbringing, with all the unthinking responses kids have to encountering their faith in childhood.  In describing his memories of Bible stories he quotes a friend who sums up Jewish holidays:  "They tried to kills us.  They didn't succeed. So, let's eat." (14)

            His statements are fair-minded regarding both the Israeli and Palestinian versions of what I called telling the land reality story.  Of the Palestinians he says:  "Here's where things stand in Palestine:  an Arab population of more than three million—an educated and cultured people—is being abased." (76).   In one section he traces the devastating effects of what he calls the atomization of Jewish society and lists the number of often-competing groups which make it up:  "one million Ashkenazi  sabras—born in Israel form European societies:"  "Russians, also about one million;" "Number three, Israeli Arabs, also about a million"; "Number four, the ultra-orthodox,"  "Five, the settlers…and Sixth, the Sephardim who came from Arab countries. (pp. 191-192).

            Cramer's clincher near the book's end is this:  "No Israeli government has ever tried to make peace on a formula that everybody knows is a winner: Give back the land." (237)

He ends with some hopes, including this one.  "Or perhaps there will come along an American president who actually means to use his vast powers here—not because it will do him any good, or get him any votes, or money, or new friends among Israelis, or among the American Zionists, or the American Christian right.  But just because it is right….(277)

            The book concludes with an excellent glossary of Hebrew, Arabic and English terms and solid bibliography.  Cramer is an excellent read and an author who instincts for balance, accuracy and humor are truly enviable.