The Iron Cage

A timely and compelling examination of the Palestinian dilemma, named one of the 100 best books of the year by Publishers Weekly This story of the Palestinian search to establish a state begins in the era of British control over Palestine and stretches between the two world wars and into the present, offering much-needed perspective for anyone concerned about peace in the Middle East. "Rashid Khalidi is a historian's historian. The Iron Cage is his most accomplished effort to date . . . Magisterial in scope, meticulous in its attention to detail, and decidedly dispassionate in its analysis, The Iron Cage is destined to be a benchmark of its genre." -Joel Schalit, Tikkun "At heart a historical essay, an effort to decide why the Palestinians . . . have failed to achieve an independent state." -Steven Erlanger, New York Times "Khalidi, tackling 'historical amnesia,'brilliantly analyses the structural handicap which hobbled the Palestinians throughout 30 years of British rule . . . Khalidi restores the Palestinians to something more than victims, acknowledging that for all their disadvantages, they have played their role and can (and must) still do so to determine their own fate." -Ian Black, Guardian "Khalidi uses history to provide a clear-eyed view of the region and assess the prospects for peace. He strives successfully for even-handedness." -Anthony Lewis, author of Gideon's Trumpet and Make No Law