A former political activist in the occupied territories looks back on his youthful struggle to come to terms with his father, as well as with an idealized Palestinian past and an unrealized Palestinian future. Shehadeh, a lawyer and a writer who now lives quietly in the West Bank town of Ramallah, founded the internationally respected human rights organization Al Haq, which mounted legal challenges to Israeli settlements on the West Bank and exposed the treatment of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Raja's father, Aziz Shehadeh, was also a prominent lawyer and a political activist. A refugee from Jaffa following the 1948 conflict, Aziz came to believe that recognizing Israel was the only way to maintain a Palestinian nation. He was condemned by Arab nationalists and also drew fire when he became the defense attorney for those accused of assassinating King Abdullah of Jordan. He was murdered in 1985, not for his political beliefs but probably over a minor legal wrangle. All this lays the foundation for Raja's reflections on his childhood, during which family members incessantly recalled their former comforts and refused to confront the reality of the Israeli takeover. Chapters about Raja's education in London and India reveal the emotional conflict between father and son, as well as Raja's efforts to find a role for himself in the political struggle between Palestinians and Israelis. Partly as a result of his disillusionment with the Israeli investigation of his father's murder, he affiliated with the first intifada and became a legal advisor to the Palestinians at the Madrid peace conference in 1991. He left "in despair a year after they began." Shehadeh also describes eloquently the devastation of the biblical hills surrounding his home as Israeli bulldozers make room for settlements. A memoir both political and personal, offering a human and humane perspective on one Palestinian's life.

There is no doubt that Raja Shehaded is a well meaning and peaceful man. The Mid East would be a land of milk and honey if most of its inhabitants shared his noble aims. However, Shehaded mistakenly blames the present Israeli conflict for the central reason behind the rage of the Palestinian Arabs. The author's father was likely assassinated by militant Arabs because he advocated cooperation and coexistence with Israel. And yet, the author ironically still fails to concede that a large number of Palestinians will not be satisfied until the Jewish state is driven into the sea. Shehaded complains about the restrictions placed upon the movement of Palestinian citizens while virtually ignoring Israel's legitimate concerns to curtail violence. His charges of harassment and humiliation ring somewhat hollow when the whole situation is taken into context. Why doesn't Shehaded react more strongly against the murderous militants who force Israel to enact such draconian measures? He also seems to downplay their virulent anti-Semitism.

Raja Shehaded argues that peace mostly depends upon Israeli willingness to compromise. The Palestinians who have opted for death and destruction are portrayed as more than willing to lay down their arms once a just settlement is reached. Many categorically reject such a sanguine prediction. Bernard Lewis, for instance, in his most recent book, What Went Wrong?, is convinced that the whole Arab world is wallowing in rage and bitterness due to its falling behind the West. The Palestinians are merely a microcosm of wider Arab anger over the failure of the Muslim world to achieve anything significant in the last 400-500 years. Eric Hoffer's seminal work, The True Believer, points to the yearning of some people to seek a nihilistic cause to assuage their existential need for meaning. Eventually returning to a life of everyday normal concerns is a near impossibility. Admittedly, though, Shehaded has a valid point when objecting to the added Israeli settlements in the so-called occupied (the term disputed would be more accurate) territories. The author is right on target for blaming Israel for exacerbating an already volatile situation. Shehaded may jump to some erroneous conclusions, but he still is a voice for reasonableness and compromise. Unfortunately, the evidence indicates that few Palestinians care to listen to this decent and life affirming man. One can only hope that Raja Shehaded's influence dramatically increases in the immediate future.

This book should be considered required reading for anyone seeking to understand the current Palestinian - Israeli conflict. Shehadeh provides a very personal view of the reality of growing up in the occupied West Bank. Best of all, he pulls no punches - against Israel or his fellow Palestinians.