The 51 Day War: Ruin and Resistance in Gaza

Blumenthal (Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel) sets out to provide an unapologetic look at the events leading up to, during, and following the 51-day war of 2014. This incident was precipitated by the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli students. While it quickly came to light that the students were likely dead and that the event was not sanctioned by Palestinian leadership, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security council kept those facts from the public. Allowing Israelis and the international community to believe that the students were alive and that security forces were still searching for them provided the necessary propaganda to raid homes throughout the West Bank, making mass arrests focused on members of Hamas. During this time, the desperation in Israel and in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip began to heighten. Blumenthal continues to walk his readers through the events of the conflict itself, highlighting the behind-the-scenes political maneuverings of Netanyahu and his advisers. He also provides us with a glimpse into the aftermath that left the Gaza Strip in even more despair.