Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated to include the scholars’ names on each piece of media they recommended.
As the Israel-Hamas war continues, the horror and grief have only escalated. The war has also ignited deeply polarized debates on social media, with people across the world consuming news (as well as misinformation and disinformation) about the war. With so many different perspectives, it can be difficult to understand a conflict that stretches back decades. Many POPSUGAR readers have expressed seeking other forms of media to learn more about Israeli-Palestinian relations.
So, we asked three scholars to share media that they personally find helpful to better understand the historical context of Israeli and Palestinian relations — in the form of nonfiction books, novels, and films. We tapped Yara M. Asi, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida and a fellow at Arab Center DC and the Foundation for Middle East Peace; Shayna Weiss, PhD, senior associate director at Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University; and Rebecca Carol Johnson, PhD, an associate professor of English and Middle East and North African Studies at Northwestern University, for their recommendations.
The following is by no means a comprehensive list — and as you’ll see, all recommendations are the personal picks of the three scholars we spoke with — but it may serve as a starting point.