Our Promised Land by Michael T Darkow

Published by Synergy Books 

ISBN  978-0-9840760-1-7

The elusive dove on the cover of this book is symbolic of what most people in the world desire - peace.  This story is based in the Middle East, where Palestinians and Israelis bump heads, and between wars, they try to rub along together.  The prologue tells a tale from biblical times, setting the scene for the later troubles between these very different peoples, who claim the same territory as their 'Promised Land', and have been prepared to fight and die to regain or retain it.

As in the prologue, the story moves from the late 1940s until more modern times, with the theme of battling brothers, be they blood relatives or not.  With the creation of the state of Israel, the Palestinians were displaced from 'their land' and the Jews moved into 'their land'.  This was the spark for the whole ugly business to get even uglier.  The Jews had been through the holocaust and wanted to create a homeland where they could feel safe and rebuild their lives.  The Palestinians could not understand why the Jews should be given their land, and resentment and bitterness grew between the two groups, and many thousands have died in this struggle for the 'Promised Land'.

The lead characters are Ellie, a Jew who has survived the holocaust and Yasif, a young Palestinian who is sent to America to complete his education.  Yasif enjoys the life in America and becomes a professor, and often feels guilty for not being part of the fight for his homeland.  Ellie fights against the enemies of Israel, but he suffers for his conviction.

The story reaches its climax with the possibility of death and destruction on a massive scale - can it be averted?

This is an interesting tale, seen from both sides of the struggle, and a beautifully presented volume.