Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak by Deborah Ellis

Feb 23, 2009

Molly marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-east

Wow! I thought Ellis' approach to telling this story was so powerful. Having children tell us through their eyes what is happening in the middle east makes sitting by and doing nothing near impossible. You can see the hate and disheartening beliefs develop and become more prevalent within the children as they get older. You can also see what a struggle it is to grow up in a war zone.

I thought about other ways I might want to see the results of her interview. Like for instance having ...more

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Mar 02, 2009

Linda rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction

I wasn't sure whether to give this four or five stars. I went with five because though it is a small book (only 111 pages) but is incredibly insightful into the lives of children living in war-torn Israel. I've never seen anything quite like this in its openness and directness. The book is quite up to date, having been published in 2006. Each small chapter gives a general, brief introduction into life in today's Israel, and then a short interview with a child. The kids range from about 8-18 year...more

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Feb 17, 2009

Lynne rated it

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Shelves: middle-eastern-children-s-lit

Three Wishes is a culturally specific biographical novel that shares the haunting experiences of Israeli and Palestinian children living in a war-torn territory. Author, Deborah Ellis, shares her collection of interviews prefacing each with background information on the region, the history, its controversies or on the people who live there.

On page 28 Ellis describes the sense of obligation that Israeli youth have to the state of Israel, “When the state of Israel was first created, m...more

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Feb 22, 2011

Esther rated it

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Shelves: informational-biography, middle-east-literature, multicultural-international-literat, jewish

Interest Level: 5th-8th Grade
This book chronicles the experiences of many Israeli and Palestinian children of various ages living in various areas in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Each account focuses mainly on what the children do daily, how they view the opposite side (Israel vs. Palestine), and what they wish they could change about their life. The various points of view along with the real-life experiences that each child goes through touch on many subjects and themes, such as dea...moreInterest Level: 5th-8th Grade
This book chronicles the experiences of many Israeli and Palestinian children of various ages living in various areas in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Each account focuses mainly on what the children do daily, how they view the opposite side (Israel vs. Palestine), and what they wish they could change about their life. The various points of view along with the real-life experiences that each child goes through touch on many subjects and themes, such as death, religion, family, faith, duty, honor as well as others. Each chapter opens with a short description of the historical context that the child is living in, their picture, name and age.

What I found profound about this text was how honest each child was about their political and religious point of view. Most children were well aware what they were living through yet also did not want to focus on it. Most of the younger children expressed sentiments that they wanted to meet the other children while older children were much more hostile towards children from the other nation. I watched the PBS film "Promises" a few years ago and that seemed to be the inclination of the children in the documentary as they grew older and participated in army service or experienced loss. (Here is the URL to the film's page: http://www.pbs.org/pov/promises/ )

I think that children that are living through this warzone, especially in the settlements, are experiencing a life that not many others can connect to so this book is a great way to introduce children to other children. This is not a long, detailed text but rather a concise, clear text that covers most of the major parts of the Israel-Palestine conflict. I think that these accounts are authentic and could bridge understandings between students that live in the United States and those that live in areas of political conflict. I only wish that these accounts were longer or that several of the children were serialized so that we could get to know them in more depth. It seems as if many of the accounts are episodic and fit perfectly with the context introduction at the beginning of each chapter. I also wish that there was a clearer way to differentiate between the Israeli children and Palestinian children in the book. I am not sure if this was by design, but it seemed difficult at times to tell which side each child was from, since switching from one point of view to another was also difficult as I went through the book.
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Feb 22, 2011

Sarah rated it

Shelves: middle-eastern-rll-528, informational-books-and-biographies, international-rll-528

At my synagogue(s) I had often heard about the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, especially during the rabbis’ sermons. I realized that the destructive fighting had escalated as the years went on. However, I had often tuned some of it out, not fully grasping the horrors that were going on over there. After all, I live in America. I do not live in the vicinity of this conflict. Don’t get me wrong, I was aware of the situation, and I did care about the violence and bloodshed...moreAt my synagogue(s) I had often heard about the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, especially during the rabbis’ sermons. I realized that the destructive fighting had escalated as the years went on. However, I had often tuned some of it out, not fully grasping the horrors that were going on over there. After all, I live in America. I do not live in the vicinity of this conflict. Don’t get me wrong, I was aware of the situation, and I did care about the violence and bloodshed, however, until reading this book, I did not realize the extent of the situation, especially when it came to the lives of the children living there.

As the title suggests, in this book children from both sides of the conflict tell about their experiences living in this war-zone. The children, ranging in ages from 8 to 18, are frank about what is happening around them. The author gives us background before each child’s own words, helping us to understand more about their situation and the specific foci of the child’s story. It hardly seems fair to call them children, though, after reading these, as they have seen and dealt with so many adult issues and such violence. Many know people who have been killed or seriously injured in the destructive practices there.

There are many themes that are brought numerous times in the interviews; violence, hatred, and fear being top among these. Violence is seen or heard about everywhere. The children are accustomed to seeing soldiers with guns. Bombs and killing can occur anywhere, often seemingly without cause. Many talk about the fear that goes along with this and that they do not feel safe. People can get shot or bombed no matter if the victims are good or bad people. There is no escape from the war and children essentially live with PTSD (post-traumatic shock disorder).

Anger, resentment, animosity, and isolation were typical mentions by the children. Much of the hatred is directed at the soldiers, though animosity is projected at the opposite side as well. Many of the children have not even had contact with other children of the opposite side, due to the strict isolation of the Palestinians and Israelis. It sounded like Israelis had more freedom to move about and that there were many more restrictions for the Palestinians as to where they could go. To go to school (or anywhere), these children often had to wake up extremely early so that they could wait in line for hours just to get through a checkpoint. Soldiers had all the control as to how long they let people wait, no matter if the civilians were ill or elderly. Typically, even though children got up very early for school, they were still late. Curfews were imposed on Palestinians, as well, causing people to have to stay in there houses, and children to forgo school for those days, impeding their education and their freedom. If they went out, they could be shot. It is no wonder that there is much resentment and animosity.

A final common theme was the wish for peace. Although there were strong feelings toward from one side to the other, most children did not necessarily wish harm to the other side’s civilians, nor did they want this war to continue. The freedom of each side has been greatly hindered by this conflict and the children would like to see an end to the oppression and violence so that they can live normal lives.

So, how do we teach our students over here in North America (the author is actually Canadian) about the raging war between cultures occurring in Palestine and Israel? This book can serve as means for this. Teachers can use this book with 6th graders and up to guide them through an understanding of this ongoing conflict through the eyes of other children. This is an important element to the book. Often books and the news tell the information in terms of grown-ups and a third person view. This book allows children to learn that it is not just adults that are affected, but children as well. This makes the information much more accessible. There are also times where they can see that despite all of the seriousness of these experiences, children are still children, which our students here can relate to. For example when two 8 year olds were interviewed, they each said some things that made me chuckle. First was Danielle’s statement on page 41, when she mentions what she would wish for: “My three wishes? I have four: to have more wishes, to be a queen, to get whatever I want when I want it, and to see some TV stars for real.” I loved this because this exactly how a child her age might respond to that question here! Likewise, her friend, Gili, shows the contrast of an eight-year-old’s capacity to make a profound statement in one part and then make a very kid-like statement in the next. She talks about how a guard from her school had been killed (not when he was at the school). “Guards are supposed to protect us, but he couldn’t protect himself. If a bomb can kill a guard, it can also kill me or my family.” After this she continues an earlier discussion of how much she loves horses. “I keep asking my mother if I could keep one in my bedroom, and she always says no!” Students can compare this highly unrealistic request her earlier statement, to see how children living in the conditions there differ yet are similar to their own situations here. This could be especially poignant if the students live in an area threatened by gang violence. This book would be a wonderful resource for a 6th grade and higher classroom or school library.

My only criticism for the book is that the language seems a bit stinted. I realized that this is due to a lack of transition words connecting the sentences. I am not sure if this is because of the nature of the languages spoken by the children, or if it is simply the style of the author. I was also curious as to whether or not these children’s words were translated by an interpreter or the author, herself. It does not say. Nor does it say if these stories were prompted by questions and pieced together into one cohesive piece of writing, or if this is how the child spoke—in one solid, uninterrupted story.
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Sep 19, 2010

Rebecca Owen rated it

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Shelves: nonfiction, israel-and-palestine

This book would make the perfect introduction into the war in the middle east. Billed as a YA/teen book, this still is a powerful book for all reading ages. As the title suggests, it tells the true stories of children on both sides of this struggle. Each child’s letter about themselves and their lives are introduced by the author with facts related to how that particular child lives. The book begins with a general introduction of the history of the war, then is followed by the 429 names of child...moreThis book would make the perfect introduction into the war in the middle east. Billed as a YA/teen book, this still is a powerful book for all reading ages. As the title suggests, it tells the true stories of children on both sides of this struggle. Each child’s letter about themselves and their lives are introduced by the author with facts related to how that particular child lives. The book begins with a general introduction of the history of the war, then is followed by the 429 names of children killed between September of 2000 and March of 2003, each name followed by the age of the child. The stories told by the children are at once hopeful and heartbreaking. Most of the Israeli children have never met any Palestinian children and vice versa. On top of that, most of the Palestinian children’s only contacts with Israelis are the soldiers who are a constant and terrifying presence. At the same time, the only Palestinians the Israeli children ever hear about are the suicide bombers who kill not only themselves, but also any innocent people who may be near them. On top of this, there are also the propaganda themes and anti-Arab images that make their way down to the children, as when one eighteen-year-old states "We, the Israelis have been trying, but how much can we give? After all, this is our land. I wish all the Jews in the world would come to Israel, and that all the Palestinians would leave and go live in some other Arab country" (Ellis 76). These stories speak with the poignancy of a child’s eye, asserting that, “setting off bombs in shopping centers… is not a good idea. It makes Palestinians look bad. We should be terrorizing the Israeli soldiers, not the Israeli people” (Ellis 62). Some are sadly already filled with the hate of the other side that comes from living under these situations. And many Palestinian children suffer from post-traumatic stress, something that is almost ignored (Moughrabi). But most wish only for peace, for war to end. One of the last stories is that of Asif, a fifteen-year-old Israeli with a wise point of view. He promises that when he becomes a soldier, he will do everything he can to protect the Palestinian people from the abuse of soldiers. He then says that, “some people use God as an easy way to explain things. They say, ‘This is what God wants us to do,’ like ‘God wants us to fight this war,’ ‘God wants us to kill these people,’ and ‘God is on our side.’ It’s an easy way to say, ’I’m not responsible for what I do’” (Ellis 97). Though not a book that I believe teens might choose to read if given an option of others, this would make a great required reading at the beginning of opening up this issue, inviting a rich discussion among a class and could be used with any age, since all ages are included in the children speaking. (less)

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Mar 04, 2010

Kathleen Heroux rated it

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Shelves: middle-eastern

Some things never seem to change. I would have to disagree with Santana, that those who are unaware of history will be condemned to repeat it. Perhaps those who study history and can apply its lessons to current struggles will not be condemned to repeat past cruelty. I truly believe that the human race has the destructive habit of repeating past cultural and governmental mistakes. Reading Deborah Ellis’ interviews for this book gave me a chilling view of Israeli and Palestinian children’s lives...more

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Jul 21, 2010

L12_Casey Strauss rated it

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Shelves: international

In November and December of 2002 Deborah Ellis spent time in Israel and Palestinian territories interviewing youth from numerous backgrounds. Ellis’ book is filled with different perspectives and voices Israeli and Palestinian, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish ranging in range from eight to eighteen. The stories are told from the children’s perspectives, in first person narration. In some ways, they sound like typical kids, speaking of video games, annoying siblings, and school. When they speak abo...moreIn November and December of 2002 Deborah Ellis spent time in Israel and Palestinian territories interviewing youth from numerous backgrounds. Ellis’ book is filled with different perspectives and voices Israeli and Palestinian, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish ranging in range from eight to eighteen. The stories are told from the children’s perspectives, in first person narration. In some ways, they sound like typical kids, speaking of video games, annoying siblings, and school. When they speak about their lives, a varying range of emotions come through, anger, frustration, hatred, and hope. On girl reflects, “You never know when a bomb will explode…It doesn’t help to lead a good life. Well, it’s important to lead a good life, but being good doesn’t protect you from the bombs.” Their voices are honest, and their stories give a glimpse into what life is like for children growing up in this part of the world.

Ellis has created a book that is both engaging and informative. At the front of the book is a map and introduction by the author which gives the reader background information before starting the book. Students need to be aware and conscious of the world that is around them. After the introduction by Ellis is four pages filled with the names and ages of the 429 children under thee age of eighteen that have died between September 29,200 and March 7, 2003. This section of the book alone could be used to start a discussion in a middle school classroom. Historical information and a picture of the child accompany each story. The voices are straightforward and honest in discussing what their lives are like, what their fears are, as well as what they want in the future. This book could be used in a Middle East unit, or to give students a perspective on what youth around the world are dealing with. One or two stories can be shared at a time; the entire book doesn’t have to be read in one sitting. This book could be partnered with A Little Piece of Ground, by Elizabeth Laird, which tells the story of a young boy living under military occupation in Palestine. (less)

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Feb 26, 2011

Marija rated it

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Shelves: middle-eastern-literature-rll528

I loved that this book was written from the perspective of children from both sides of the Israeli conflict. I thought it was interesting to see the very many perspectives on the war, especially through the eyes of children. The Israeli conflict has been going on for several generations, however, here in the U.S. we don't hear much about how this conflict afflicts the people of Israel and their everyday lives.

I was very surprised to see that the stories carried a common thread throug...more

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Feb 16, 2009

Katie rated it

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Shelves: middle-eastern-lit

Deborah Ellis did an amazing job interviewing both Israeli and Palestinian children. The different attitudes about the war from both sides shocked me. Some children were ambivalent, others were angry and hateful, while others were inspiring, understanding, sympathetic and working towards peace. The first hand account of these children's ideas are important to have. The reality is that many of their ideas might change over time or be silenced completely by war and violence. This book inprired me ...more

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Apr 04, 2011

Nicolewinter2011 rated it

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Shelves: middle-east, non-fiction

Publisher: A Groundwood Book
Year: 2004
Interest Level: 6-12
Reading Level: 5-7

I am really glad I read this book. I really did not have any historical or political knowledge related to the Israeli-Palestinian war. My level of knowledge was that it was a war over land between 2 groups of people that both have rights to the land. After reading this book, I have a greater sociological context. I agree with Dan's comments in class that a historical/political context is missing ...more

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Mar 01, 2010

Evelyn Chen rated it

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Shelves: middle-eastern

APA Citation:
Ellis, Deborah. (2004) Three wishes :Palestinian and Israeli children speak Toronto : Groundwood Books,

Reader Interest/Level: 7-9

Summary: Deborah Ellis conducts an anthropological study, interviewing children of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli and Palestinian adolescents tell their story in their own words. Some stories seem refreshingly ordinary and others are heart-throbbing and difficult to read. They have wishes for their future - whether ...more

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Feb 15, 2010

Mrs. Romaniuk rated it

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Shelves: young-adult, banned-challenged, wishlist-to-buy, multicultural-mult, nonfiction, middle-east

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? Your wishes are most likely to be quite different from the wishes of the children interviewed in this book. We hear about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict on the news all the time. Yet, very rarely do we get a glimpse of what life is like for children who are caught in the midst of this conflict. Deborah Ellis interviews children of various ages, trying to get a sense of their dreams, fears, and what they would wish for if they had three wishes. ...more

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Mar 09, 2011

Quincy Owens marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Three Wishes Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak was written by Deborah Ellis. In the book Palestinian and Israeli children take turns sharing their own accounts and perspectives on the war. Interestingly the chaotic war is explained pretty well by the sum of the children’s stories. Gul age 12 for instance is about to become a man according to Jewish law. He has mixed emotions about the event because it also means he will have to join the army. Currently, he holds no ill will against th...moreThree Wishes Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak was written by Deborah Ellis. In the book Palestinian and Israeli children take turns sharing their own accounts and perspectives on the war. Interestingly the chaotic war is explained pretty well by the sum of the children’s stories. Gul age 12 for instance is about to become a man according to Jewish law. He has mixed emotions about the event because it also means he will have to join the army. Currently, he holds no ill will against the Palestinians but fears this will change once he joins the army. Hassan a Palestinian child age 18 has been left without the use of his legs due to fear. He describes common encounters with soldiers which result in the destruction of the area. I believe a lot of people have a tendency to look for some higher purpose for the events taking place when it is simply a power struggle. The faces and the voices of the individuals trying to secure or retain power, I’m sure have changed many times over the last few decades, but essentially it is still about power. Both groups wish to have the power to live their lives as they see fit and the only thing in their way is the other side. I really do hope this conflict is resolved soon because it almost seems like they are on the verge of fighting each other, “because that’s just how it is.” As a teacher I do not think I would allow immature students to read this book. Many young readers have trouble identifying bias. A young child is often viewed in our society as “innocent.” Students reading these children’s accounts would accept many of the horrifying events described without prudent appraisal of the text and source.
This book should be read by anyone age 16+. The conflicts shaping these children’s lives can only be addressed after we as a people (world) begin discussing these issues together. The true value of this book is the clear identification of the stakeholders with the most to lose in both of these nations.
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Mar 02, 2010

Linda rated it

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Shelves: underrepresented

The complexity of the endless struggle between Israel and Palestine has continued because of the ideals and hatred being passed down through generations. Yet before those ideas become so inundated into the fabric of each person's moral character, they have the innocence to see the people involved in the situation as individuals and the wish for peace. Ellis crosses into this demographic to uncover that very wish for peace through this novel.

As a middle school teacher I feel that th...more

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Mar 21, 2010

Beth Hermes added it · review of another edition

Shelves: underrepresented-cultures

Three Wishes Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak by Deborah Ellis is a very moving book. I was shocked even before I started the book and read the statistics on civilian causalities in war. I was shocked and appalled that an overwhelming 90% of casualties in war were civilians in 2004, which compares to 15% during World War I.
While I was reading I kept having to turn the page back and remind myself that these were not older educated people, but rather they were children no older than h...more

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Mar 09, 2010

Ch_jank-caporale rated it

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Shelves: info-bios

Deborah Ellis captures what life is like today in Gaza, the West Bank, and in Jerusalem, through the first person accounts of children- both Palestinians and Israelis. All the children express fear of the constant state of danger they're in, and talk about how the choices of other people have affected their lives. What is surprising, and sad, is how little they know of one another: "My teacher says that two years ago there were a lot of Palestinian students in Israel. She says it was good w...more

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Feb 21, 2011

Leane rated it

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Shelves: middle-eastern, multicultural, non-fiction, autobiography-memoir

“Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak” is a very informative book for young adults as well as adults. I love reading real life memoirs of people who have experienced things that I have never experienced and seen things that I have never seen or heard of in my lifetime. These kinds of books can really touch your heart and make you want to understand what is going on in the world, and I think that is important for people of all ages to understand. I honestly have never read a bo...more“Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak” is a very informative book for young adults as well as adults. I love reading real life memoirs of people who have experienced things that I have never experienced and seen things that I have never seen or heard of in my lifetime. These kinds of books can really touch your heart and make you want to understand what is going on in the world, and I think that is important for people of all ages to understand. I honestly have never read a book about children living in Israel and I’m very glad that I finally did because I now realize that I was just so ignorant. These stories have very similar themes and experiences throughout, and I was glad that author Deborah Ellis shared stories from Israeli and Palestinian children back-to-back so that I could compare their experiences.

I was amazed that the mindsets of the children differed so greatly. Some of the children seemed very open minded and willing to meet children from the opposite culture, but others really seemed to dislike the other children, even if they hadn’t met any. Talia, on page 33, says, “It would be good for me to meet some Palestinians. Kids are the same everywhere.” She seems to be more open minded and has hope for peace between the two peoples. Mahmood on page 50 says, “I don’t know any Israeli children. I don’t want to know any. They hate me and I hate them.” The most memorable and shocking part of the book for me was the story of Hakim, a twelve-year-old boy who was shot in the legs fifteen times. He says that he doesn’t want to get to know any Israelis because they are different than him. He says, “I have only one wish. To get well soon so that I can get back to fighting the Israelis.” That quote pretty much speaks for itself; not even a near death experience can change this boy’s mindset about war. It seems to me that Palestinian children have a more difficult time accepting Israeli children or people in general because their situation is more hostile. The stories that the Palestinian children shared seemed more violent and the Israeli soldiers so cruel. However all of these children are growing up in an environment full of hate, and that is going to affect them when they become adults. So is there really any hope of peace in this country in the future?
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Mar 20, 2008

sarafem rated it

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Shelves: 2008, five-stars, juvenile-nonfiction

Ellis interviews children growing up in wartime Israel and Palestine about their lives and their three wishes for themselves. It is enlightening to read their stories and hear their perspectives, trying to understand them based on the information their families and society have given them. Some children speak of hope and hopelessness in the same breath. Children who have never met anyone outside of their own ethnicity fear difference because their parents tell them to. Children with beautiful sm...more

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Feb 21, 2011

Rahmadiyanti rated it

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Tanyakan tiga hal yang sangat diinginkan pada anak-anak pada umumnya. Bisa jadi mereka menjawab: ingin sekolah, ingin jadi artis atau seleb, dan–mungkin kalau anak Indonesia—ingin punya handphone. Bagaimana dengan anak-anak Palestina dan Israel?

Hakim, anak Palestina berusia 12 tahun, hanya punya satu keinginan: secepatnya sembuh dan kembali melawan Israel. Saat sedang melakukan aksi intifadhah bersama teman-temannya, kedua kaki Hakim ditembak oleh tentara Israel. Simak tuturan Hakim ...moreTanyakan tiga hal yang sangat diinginkan pada anak-anak pada umumnya. Bisa jadi mereka menjawab: ingin sekolah, ingin jadi artis atau seleb, dan–mungkin kalau anak Indonesia—ingin punya handphone. Bagaimana dengan anak-anak Palestina dan Israel?

Hakim, anak Palestina berusia 12 tahun, hanya punya satu keinginan: secepatnya sembuh dan kembali melawan Israel. Saat sedang melakukan aksi intifadhah bersama teman-temannya, kedua kaki Hakim ditembak oleh tentara Israel. Simak tuturan Hakim tentang penembakan tersebut:

I was in the street with my friends. We were hiding from the soldiers, and when we could, we were throwing tocks at them. The soldiers were angry and they were looking for us.... I started running. In the middle of the road I heard many shots. I stopped feeling anything in my right leg... I heard more bullets. My legs stopped working. I fell down in the street. Some of my friends came and carried me off the road, but they were pushed away by the soldiers. I can remember the soldiers standing all around me. I was on the ground staring up at them, and they were all around me, with their guns pointed at me. There was a lot of yelling and screaming.

Dokter yang memeriksa Hakim mengatakan, ia ditembak 15 kali. Hari itu ada 5 orang Palestina yang tewas, termasuk Tareq, teman Hakim. Hakim menderita luka serius dan harus terbaring di rumah sakit karena luka tersebut, juga malnutrisi yang dideritanya sejak kecil.

Salam, adik Aayat al Akhras, gadis 17 tahun yang melakukan aksi bom syahid pada tahun 2002, punya keinginan mengikuti jejak sang kakak. Anak Palestina berusia 12 tahun ini telah menyaksikan begitu banyak anak-anak seusianya, bahkan lebih muda, yang dianiaya dan dibunuh oleh tentara Israel. “You don’t have to be doing anything bad to be hurt by the soldiers. You could just be walking down the street. I was walking down the street with my friends one day when there was no curfew, and there were some boys nearby, and the Israelis shot one of them.”

Wafa, gadis Palestina berusia 12 tahun, telah berulang kali menyaksikan rumahnya dihancurkan oleh tentara Israel. Ia berusia 8 tahun saat pertama melihat rumahnya dihancurkan. Malam itu seseorang mengetuk pintu rumah keluarga Wafa. Ayahnya membuka dan ada beberapa tentara di hadapan sang ayah yang berkata, “This is not your house anymore. This is our house now.”

Ayah Wafa berusaha melawan, namun tentara Israel memukul kepala ayahnya dengan senapan. Kemudian mereka merangsek dan menghancurkan isi rumah. Juga menembakkan gas airmata, yang membuat Wafa dan saudara-saudaranya tak dapat bernapas dan keluar dari rumah. Tentara sendiri menggunakan masker sehingga Wafa tak dapat mengenali wajah-wajah mereka. Tapi, coba simak pendapat Wafa tentang orang Israel. “The thing I hate most are the Israelis. Not the Israelis who try to be friends with the Palestinians, but the ones who try to hurt us.”

Elisheva, gadis Israel berusia 18 tahun, punya keinginan agar orang-orang Israel dari penjuru dunia datang sehingga orang-orang Palestina terusir dan tinggal di negara Arab. Ia menyaksikan temannya ditembak oleh seorang laki-laki Palestina. “I feel a lot of anger toward the Palestinians. When I walk through the Old City of Jerusalem and see the Arabs there, I don’t want to see them. I don’t want them to be there. They make me angry.”

Danielle, anak Israel 8 tahun, tak mengerti mengapa perang terjadi dan mengapa orang-orang Palestina marah kepada bangsanya. Pendapat hampir sama yang diungkap Artov, 15 tahun, yang datang ke Israel dari Rusia. Ia tak pernah bertemu dengan orang Palestina dan bingung mengapa orang Palestina membenci Israel.

Buku yang merekam kisah 20 anak Palestina dan Israel ini sangat jujur dan terbuka. Deborah Ellis, sang penulis, langsung datang ke Palestina dan Israel untuk mewawancarai anak-anak tersebut. Penulis asal Canada ini juga berusaha netral, menggali kehidupan sehari-hari anak-anak tersebut, dampak perang bagi mereka, serta keinginan anak-anak tersebut dalam hidup.

Senetral itu saja sudah mengundang protes dari Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC). CJC mengirim surat ke Ontario Library Association yang berisi keberatan buku tersebut menjadi buku rekomendasi dalam sebuah program klub buku di sekolah-sekolah. Menurut CJC, penulis buku telah memberikan informasi “cacat” mengenai konflik Israel-Palestina. CJC juga menyebutkan bahwa beberapa anak dalam buku tersebut menggambarkan tentara Israel brutal (bukankah memang brutal?). Padahal Deborah Ellis hanya menyampaikan penuturan anak-anak yang merasakan sendiri kondisi tersebut.

Sebenarnya Deborah mewawancara lebih banyak anak, namun beberapa anak Palestina menolak kisahnya dimuat, saat mereka mengetahui bahwa Deborah juga mewawancara anak-anak Israel. Sayang, padahal saat membaca buku ini saya rasanya tak ingin berhenti, ingin lebih banyak menyimak kisah-kisah mereka. (less)

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Feb 22, 2010

L11-Mary Utterback rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: underrecogonized-cultures

I really enjoyed reading this book. I never thought about how bad things were in Isreal and for the jewish people. This book gave insight to the hardships children have to face while trying to stay alive and still worship the way they believe. This book was compelling and thought provoking. After I finished I wanted to go straight to these countries and help these children.

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Nov 02, 2011

Lisa rated it

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This book is simply a collection of interviews done with children on both sides of the Palestinian/Isreali conflict. Each chapter includes a brief piece of history about the conflict. The children's thoughts are so simply and yet so profound. It really captured the essence of a conflict that no one is every really going to win.

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Feb 03, 2009

Elizabeth rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: children, social-political-nonfiction

Deborah Ellis’ book is a wonderful collection of interviews with children through the region. I encourage adults to read it too. Her ability to infuse facts about the history of the conflict with the stories of kids’ real experiences growing up in Jerusalem, Ramallah, the West Bank and elsewhere in the region is really impressive. As is her ability to stay neutral and informative when writing on one of the most divisive and polarizing conflicts in current times. plus the children's stories will ...more

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Jun 13, 2011

Nicole rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: inspirational

shocking and riveting! It is amazing how these very young children articulate the troubles in their worlds and how they personally combat the evil that is war and hatred!

Well written and tear-inducing, I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who is passionate about children from around the world and their lives in war-torn and desolate places.

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Jun 09, 2011

Paula Weston rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: non-ficiton

I read this back in 2007, and it broke my heart. It's a heartbreaking series of alternating interviews of Israeli and Palestinian children, who talk about how the conflict has affected their lives, in their own words. This should be required reading for everyone involved in the peace process, on all sides.

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Nov 02, 2011

Jen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: teen

Ellis elicits heart-wrenching and enlightening perspectives from real children. Fantastic as a readaloud with older students, especially around themes such as Remembrance Day or censorship.

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Jul 19, 2010

S10_Matthew rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: international

The book is middle school appropriate, and comes in hardcover and paperback.

I would also recommend Intimate Enemies by Meron Benvenisti and Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour.

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Dec 06, 2007

Jeff Stevens rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone

First, a word of caution; this book is incredibly depressing. Are you looking towards children to help the messed up adults of their cultures see a clear way towards peace and happiness? Do you have faith that if only we could listen to the young, with their innately peaceful natures and proven ability to love, the all the killing would stop? If so brace yourself to read a fair number essay from kids who have been so badly scarred by the violent world we have left them, that they wish God wou...more

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Feb 12, 2009

Ana Tanner rated it

· review of another edition

This was a wonderful and intense set of childrens' stories is definatelly a good read! It shows that the voices of children can be very powerful. Since the children are varrying ages they show the Palestinian, Israeli conflicts from many different perspectives giving the story it's depth and intensity.

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Jan 19, 2011

Ngaio rated it

· review of another edition

A book that is remarkable fair to both sides, but still made me dislike Israel's policies more than ever.

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title link	preview: Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
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Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak

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