This Side of Peace: A Personal Account by Hanan Ashrawi

Review by Giorgia Piantanida

The short: Ashrawi was a prominent part of the peace talks between Israel and Palestine in the early 1990s, and tells her story of the peace talks. Her book gives insight into Arafat’s decisions, the last minute changes, and the political weight of every decision that was occurring in each meeting.

The long: Ashrawi grew up in a Christian-Muslim household and was always encouraged to expand her education and be a leader. She weaves the story of the very long peace talks with personal histories and insights into her motivations and actions, giving the readers a first row seat into what eventually became known as the Oslo Peace Accords. Throughout the book, she talks about the fancy meetings between the highest leaders of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people, but also casts a light on the movements that were happening in the streets and homes. Her role as a mother and feeling of duty towards Palestine are central to her story as she battles with how to properly prioritize those two sometimes opposing forces.

To read or not to read: A must read! This book gives a new and interesting insight into the Oslo Accords, which cannot be found anywhere else. It also gives space to a different understanding of the motivations of the parties involved, and a behind the curtain peek at the minuscule political details that controlled the meetings and agreements. If you want to understand the Oslo Accords, the plight of the Palestinian people, and the strength of a woman who is torn between motherhood and civic duty, this is the perfect book.