March 19, 2012
Beginning with a concise background of the history and politics of the region, Caridiâwho has lived in the Middle East and Jerusalem since 2001âdiscusses the history of Hamas (founded in 1987), the proposed "two-state solution," and the enormous tollâboth personal and politicalâof suicide attacks. Caridi also explores how Hamas won the election in 2006, why its victory "was annulled by the international community," and the generational changes since that have required the government to pay greater attention "to the reactions of the street," given the group's grassroots origins. Caridi zooms out to consider Palestine in the context of the global community, from its tempestuous relationship with Israel, to competing political factions, to its reputation in the eyes of other Arab nations and the U.S. Though the title may suggest the author believes the group has achieved legitimacy, Caridi never endorses the violence that has led many nations to label Hamas a terrorist organization; "Palestine is sabotaging its future and losing its best chance at statehood," she warns, because "both Hamas and Fatah have failed and continue to fail to solve the core issue of sharing power, institutions, and responsibility." With thorough endnotes, a detailed Dramatis Personae, and an updated chapter to address the political situation since the book's initial publication in Italian in 2009, Caridi's English-language debut is timely and informative. Maps.