The books below have helped shape our understanding of Israel, Palestine, and the people working toward a more peaceful future. We hope they encourage thoughtful reflection, deeper understanding, and a willingness to engage with complexity.
Amos Oz
Amos Oz reflects on his childhood, family history, and the birth of the State of Israel, offering insight into the experiences and aspirations that shaped Israeli society.
Why we recommend it: A deeply personal window into Israeli history, identity, and memory.
Colum McCann
Inspired by the true stories of Palestinian peacebuilder Bassam Aramin and Israeli peacebuilder Rami Elhanan, whose daughters were killed in the conflict, this extraordinary work explores grief, memory, and the possibility of reconciliation.
Why we recommend it: A deeply moving exploration of shared humanity and the transformative power of relationship in the face of unimaginable loss.
Oded Adomi Leshem
Drawing on psychology and philosophy, this book explores hope as an essential ingredient in transforming protracted conflict.
Why we recommend it: Shows that hope is not simply an emotion, but a practice that can help shape a different future.
Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish
A Palestinian doctor from Gaza reflects on unimaginable personal loss and his extraordinary decision to choose forgiveness, education, and hope over hatred.
Why we recommend it: A powerful reminder that compassion and humanity can endure even in the face of profound suffering.
Gershon Baskin
A veteran negotiator reflects on decades of dialogue, diplomacy, and civil society efforts to build peace.
Why we recommend it: Provides a practical look at the difficult work of turning hope into action.
Sulaiman Khatib & Penina Eilberg-Schwartz
The story of Palestinian peacebuilder Sulaiman Khatib’s journey from imprisonment to nonviolent leadership and shared struggle.
Why we recommend it: Challenges readers to think more deeply about justice, partnership, and what meaningful peace requires.
Susan Abulhawa
Spanning several generations, this novel follows one Palestinian family’s experience of displacement, exile, and loss.
Why we recommend it: Through one family’s story, it offers many readers a deeply human entry point into the lived experience of displacement and its lasting impact.
Daniel Shapiro
Drawing on decades of negotiation experience, Daniel Shapiro explores how to navigate emotionally charged conflicts without sacrificing relationships.
Why we recommend it: Offers practical tools for engaging disagreement with honesty, courage, and respect.
Pierre Hazan
Pierre Hazan examines the moral and practical dilemmas faced by mediators working to end armed conflicts around the world.
Why we recommend it: An insightful look at the realities of mediation and the difficult choices often required to make peace possible.
Roni Keidar
A memoir of life in an Israeli community bordering Gaza and a lifelong commitment to dialogue, resilience, and peace.
Why we recommend it: Demonstrates that hope and relationship-building remain possible even in the shadow of violence.
Sari Nusseibeh
A deeply personal memoir by one of Palestine’s leading intellectuals, reflecting on family history, political life, and the search for peace.
Why we recommend it: Offers a thoughtful Palestinian perspective grounded in lived experience and reflection.
Sayed Kashua
A novel exploring identity, belonging, and the complexities of being a Palestinian citizen of Israel.
Why we recommend it: Offers a nuanced perspective on an experience that is too often absent from conversations about Israel and Palestine.
Sami Adwan, Dan Bar-On & Eyal Naveh
Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives are presented alongside one another, inviting readers to understand how the same events can be experienced and remembered differently.
Why we recommend it: An invaluable resource for approaching history with curiosity, humility, and openness.
Aziz Abu Sarah & Maoz Inon
A Palestinian and an Israeli peacebuilder travel together through Israel and the West Bank, exploring personal stories, competing narratives, and the possibility of a future rooted in dignity, equality, security, and mutual recognition.
Why we recommend it: A compelling invitation to listen more deeply, hold complexity, and imagine a future in which both peoples can live with dignity, security, and hope.
Ittay Flescher
An Israeli educator reflects on history, faith, identity, and the moral challenges of living in a land shared by two peoples.
Why we recommend it: Encourages readers to imagine a future rooted in equality, dignity, and shared belonging.
Sandy Tolan
The true story of a Palestinian family displaced in 1948 and the Israeli family who later moved into their home, revealing how history unfolds through individual lives.
Why we recommend it: One of the most accessible introductions to the human dimensions of the conflict.
Jamil Zaki
An exploration of empathy, compassion, and the science behind our capacity to care for others.
Why we recommend it: Reminds us that empathy is a skill that can be strengthened—and one that lies at the heart of peacebuilding.
David Grossman
Based on extensive reporting from the occupied West Bank before the First Intifada, Grossman examines everyday Palestinian life under occupation and the questions it raises for Israeli society.
Why we recommend it: A landmark work that challenged many Israelis to confront realities often overlooked within their own society.
Sari Bashi
A personal memoir exploring how politics, borders, and unequal legal systems shape love, family, and everyday life.
Why we recommend it: Reveals how political realities profoundly affect ordinary human relationships.
Ghadir Hani & Dror Rubin
A collection of stories from Jewish and Arab women working for peace and a more just shared future.
Why we recommend it: Celebrates the courage, leadership, and persistence of women building bridges across divides.
Élie Barnavi
Historien et ancien ambassadeur d’Israël, Élie Barnavi offre une réflexion personnelle sur l’histoire, la société, la culture et les contradictions d’Israël.
Pourquoi nous le recommandons : Une porte d’entrée riche et accessible vers la diversité de l’expérience israélienne, à lire en parallèle avec l’ouvrage d’Elias Sanbar.
Elias Sanbar
Historien, écrivain et diplomate palestinien, Elias Sanbar propose une exploration personnelle de l’histoire, de la culture, de la mémoire et de l’identité palestiniennes.
Pourquoi nous le recommandons : Une invitation à découvrir la Palestine à travers le regard d’un de ses plus grands intellectuels contemporains.
Hanna Assouline
À travers son engagement, Hanna Assouline met en lumière des femmes juives et musulmanes qui choisissent le dialogue, la rencontre et l’action commune face aux divisions.
Pourquoi nous le recommandons : Un rappel puissant du rôle essentiel que jouent les femmes dans la construction de la paix et du vivre-ensemble.
Pierre Hazan
À travers l’histoire de sa propre famille, Pierre Hazan retrace deux siècles de coexistence entre Juifs et Arabes, mêlant récit intime et histoire du Proche-Orient pour explorer ce qui a uni, puis séparé, ces deux mondes.
Pourquoi nous le recommandons : Un récit profondément personnel qui rappelle que la coexistence judéo-arabe n’est pas une utopie, mais une réalité historique dont il reste beaucoup à apprendre.
Anne Guion, avec Robi Damelin et Bushra Awad
L’histoire vraie de deux mères, l’une israélienne et l’autre palestinienne, qui ont chacune perdu un fils dans le conflit et ont choisi de transformer leur douleur en engagement pour le dialogue et la réconciliation.
Pourquoi nous le recommandons : Un témoignage bouleversant sur le deuil partagé, l’empathie et le courage de construire des ponts malgré une perte inimaginable.