The Haj
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Do you think it's biased?
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Paula
(last edited Aug 25, 2016 10:55AM)
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Mar 26, 2007 07:35PM

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Perhaps the only thing that is exaggerated is the friendship between Gideon Asch and Haj Ibrahim. At one time friendships like that may have been possible, but since the most recent intifada and maybe before that, I've observed mostly tension and mistrust between Jews and Arabs, even on a personal level.

Because those traits aren't equally spread across both groups. Many Arabs live in countries whose values and governments are antithetical to my view of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So why pretend we're all the same?


I think it was a very balanced view of the contrasting
cultures,Israeli and Palestinian. It gave me a great
deal of insight into the Arab mentality while still
presenting an excellent story. Irv Koppel



I was shocked to see that the Arab countries at that time and since, lifted not a finger to help their Arab brothers in Palestine. The oil-rich countries of Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudia Arabia, etc. sent no aid, and they enabled black markets to flourish on the aid sent by the US and other western nations. They shut down their borders and refused citizenship to the lower class refugees while opening welcoming arms to the wealthy, educated, and professional upper class who had the foresight and means to leave at the beginning. Yes, refugee camps were established, but can any honest and compassionate person really call those hell-holes "aid"? Uris's description of the squalor existing in those camps has been verified by countless sources. The unwillingness of Arab nations to offer assistance is a matter of record.
While Jews have traditionally taken care of their own, Arabs have continued to exist like their tribal ancestors, raiding, raping and murdering one another. The Jews were not blameless and Uris did not turn a blind eye to Jewish terrorism against Arabs and the British, but it seems that Jewish violence has been re-actionary to the hostilities of a world that hates them and has tried repeatedly to annihilate them.
Repatriation of the Palestinians is much like the subject of "reparations" to African-Americans here in the US...too little, too late. The people who would benefit from repatriation and reparation, are not, for the most part, the victims who originally suffered loss and injury. Uris demonstrates that the Jews appear to have been willing to accept several different compromise plans suggested by western nations, and have more than once shown themselves willing to work together, while the Arab nations have continually bitten the hand extended in peace, refusing anything less than life as it existed prior to WWII. This is totally unrealistic and the world would not cater to any Western nation who employed such tactics
The "plight of the Palestinians" has been used as an excuse for Arab leaders to further their own agendas in the political and economic world, while they continue to foster and fuel Hate as a way of life for their own people. Uris shows the "plight of the Palestinians" for what it is; it is indeed a plight and we should all be ashamed that it was allowed in the first place. But it is a plight of their own making.
If there is so much sympathy and concern for the people of Palestine, let the Arab nations abide by the tenets of their own religion as stated by the Prophet in the Q'uran. Let them show hospitality to the People of the Book and a desire to care for their widows and orphans. Instead of bleating on that the Western nations have used them and forced them into a subservient position, which we have in the past to our shame, let Arabic peoples take the lead in righting this terrible wrong. Instead of inciting violence and breeding hatred, let them set an example to the world of authentic Islam; correct all of the misconceptions about true Islam. In the same way that the Christian Church has been it's own worst enemy and has offended more people than it has attracted, there are those in the Muslim faith who have done all Muslim peoples a great disservice. Perhaps if they lead the way with decency and respect and genuine compassion, the world will follow.

And The Haj is one of my favorite books that he wrote. Having said that, is The Haj biased? Maybe. Maybe not. But it's still a valuable insight into the region, into the people that live there, and finally into the author who wrote about them.


Start with 9/11, work backwards to the insane brutality cruelty and inhumanity of 'Der Prophet" himself. Understand that!



Thanks a lot for the suggestion.
I am reading 'The Haj' now. It does seem biased. But, it is also true that the wile of politics has influenced the religious flow in the Middle East over the past few decades.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion.
I am reading 'The Haj' now. It does seem biased. But, it is also true that the wile of politics has influenced the religious flow in the Middle East ov..."
You're welcome and I apologize for the slow response. But I think when it comes to politics, there is really no one who stands on a moral high ground, including the Jews/Israelis. Their experiences in the Nazi concentration camps doesn't change that.


It's still a biased novel Karen. The author leaves no doubt who wears the white hat in this particular conflict. The description of the Jews/Israelis in comparison to the Arabs/Muslims is a no-contest match. While not inaccurate, his descriptions are very one-sided and one dimensional, focusing on the positive attributes of the Jews/Israelis and the negative attributes of the Arab/Muslims. By the end of the first chapter, there's no doubt with whom the reader is supposed to identify.

Good post

It's still a biased novel Karen. The author leaves no doubt who..."
As you say, not inaccurate.


I meant the novel is not inaccurate. People have hated the Jews for hundreds of years. Not much has changed, and I don't want to argue about it. Have a nice day.


I should have explained in that last post why. You and I will never come to an agreement on this issue, so we will end up talking at each other. So there is really no point to go further, I think we can agree on that much.



It should be noted, however, that it does not reflect the increasingly complex situation in the region in the years that followed.
Most of Uris's early works focused on the trials and tribulations of the Jewish people - Exodus, QBVII, Mila 18 - all of which I recommend. He is an amazing storyteller. He was also perhaps the first writer to portray Jews and their struggles in a positive light following centuries of the portrayal of Jews in a negative and stereotypical manner (for example, Shakespeare's Shylock).
If you like Uris's style and historical fiction, I also recommend The Trinity - about the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants.

Those posts were not aggressive, we were having a discussion, that's what we do here. :)

I agree with you, he is a great story teller, and Exodus was wonderful also.

That being said the vast number of Israelis and Jews yearned for peaceful coexistence until Arafat refused an offer that included East Jerusalem. The left in Israel collapsed and Israel moved to the right.
Michener was prophetic when he spoke of Wingate's philosophy on retaliation. Asch wondered what this strategy would do to Israel's moral integrity.
Huge tragedy for both people. An author is not biased if they portray the circumstances accurately.

Well, it's been a while; so long that I completely forgot about this thread. But a suggestion Liz if you will take one from me in terms of reading a book that isn't so biased (and Uris' book is).
The Little Drummer Girl. Food for literary thought.
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