I like to discover both sides of a situation before drawing any form of conclusion and so I decided to read Israel Alone as an adjunct to other books that I have read with a view to The Holy Land. Sadly apart from a lot of verbosity, flowery prose and a very obviously biassed attack on anything and everyone not associated with his people of choice there was not a lot to be learned.

This is a great pity as with more of an open mind he could likely have offered some strong and relevant facts as to why the Holy Land is anything but...

In my opinion, this book has been written by someone who loves purple prose who, at the same time, seems incapable of providing anything other than a totally skewed/biassed version of what is actually happening and why.

Regrettably, this review has to be careful with its choice of words as freedom of speech has fallen to the will of the AI that scans all reviews posted.

In a sweeping history of Israel’s existence, featuring documentary evidence of Israel’s struggle to survive from the date of its birth, the eminent Bernard-Henri Levy has created a treatise on how the October 7, 2023 massacre exemplifies ongoing antisemitism in a world that has always made Jews into scapegoats.

For a few minutes in time, the world was shocked by and empathetic to the victims of a vicious act of terrorism perpetrated on thousands of young civilians gather only to dance. Everything changed in a few hours. Mr Levy explains that the phrase Never Again, coined to expel the notion of another Jewish Holocaust/ genocide could ever be repeated. It became immediately obsolete. The unthinkable had occurred. But once Israel fought back world support dwindled and ended. Though historical fact and carefully documented sources, we come to understand that Israel stands alone with no true or dependable allies.

I’m not going to reiterate the arguments that are so well stated in this heartfelt and heartbreaking work. If you are interested in these facts, you must read this book. It is a dark and anxiety provoking analysis of why a ceasefire cannot work in the context of Israel’s ongoing effort to simply exist in a world that would deny them that right.

Five stars for the story of a people that must be told. My thanks to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for an ARC in exchange for my review. Publication in English will be on September 10,2024. It is a must read for those interested in keeping an open mind about Israel’s history and right to exist.

Written after the Oct 7th invation by Hamas, Levy takes the situation as a continued original war for independence in 1947. Because of over two thousand years of pogroms and antihebrewism, the Jews/Israelis have learned that they have no true friends. Yes the USA has been a good friend but in reality a lot of it is because of the guilt of knnowing about the 'Showa/Holocaust' and having done nothing. A large part of the Americans who back Israel are Evangelical Christians who expect Israel to bring on the second coming.

Does Israel really need to be popular with the rest of the world?? The Arabs hate us because we have done more with a little bit of land in the middle east, and they know that without Oil they would all still be living in tents, herding goats, and burning camel dung to keep warm. The two biggest countres by population (over two billion out of nine) only care about how Israel affects the price of oil and the ability to sell their products to Europe and the rest of Asia.

Anyone growiing up Jewish in any of the last seventy years, understands why "we" are so paranoid. Name one country that hasn't pursecuited our people in the last two hundred years. Freud said it best, "just because your parnoid, doesn't mean people aren't out to get you".

Israel is alone because they are commitng genocide. Imagine mudering 1000s of children and then crying because people don't like you😭

This is such an important book and I wish everyone would read it. Giving the history of the Israeli conflict beyond simply what TikTok tells the world is so vitally important. With decades of experience telling the story of Israel and reporting on similar conflicts around the world, Levy brings his philosophical eye to the current war in Israel beginning with October 7 and how the world reacted.

It is heartbreaking and educational. The story does not end with the end of this short book, but this is a good place to start.

This is a translation and revised version of Levy's original book released in March 2024 but alas, not much has changed since then.

Releasing in September 2024 in English.

Thank you to Post Hill Press | Wicked Son and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.