Review of Engaging the World

[Arite Seki]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Engaging the World" by Daud Abdullah.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Palestine-Israeli conflict is one that is known by many. It has been ongoing for generations with many intricacies and parts. Regardless of which side one stands on, it suffices to say that the various aspects are as complicated as they are numerous. Engaging the World by Daud Abdullah is a book that focuses on the history and context of Hamas foreign policy. Hamas is a Palestinian Islamic resistance movement that is aimed at liberating Palestine.

Engaging the World provides the reader with the events that motivated Hamas to create their foreign policy. It looks at the history of Palestinians, their diaspora and even examines the role of foreign entities during these times. This book highlights the goals of Hamas foreign policy and analyses the idealism behind it.

My favourite aspect was the storytelling. At the beginning of the book, the foreword notes the “hostile propaganda” that is very often accompanied by “violent resistance to Hamas”. It is evident that the author aims to be as objective as possible in relaying the facts in order to rely on as little propaganda or emotive language as possible. I felt that this helped me to engage with what was being presented in a more meaningful way. There was no aspect of this book that I disliked as I found it informative and insightful.

I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars rating. The book is extensively researched and it is clear that a lot of thought went into the contents of the book. It is well edited, with no typographical or grammatical errors. I enjoyed learning new information and seeing how much effort went into drafting the Hamas foreign policy. Abdullah is able to create a colourful picture of events using only facts and events from history. The book reads more like a tale or an adventure than simply a presentation of information.

I believe that it is always important to be as informed as possible before taking sides on any major issue. Unbiased information helps individuals construct informed opinions that can be helpful when defending against sensationalism. Engaging the World provides valuable context for any readers who want to read up on the history of Hamas, specifically their foreign policy. The book has no profanity or sexual content and so would be appropriate for younger readers as well. This book would be best suited for someone looking to read about the Hamas policy, but I would recommend it to anyone interested in how history shapes the present or even anyone open to learning something new.

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Engaging the World
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[Mayur Arjune]

The book has affirm the importance of Israel and Palestinian conflict, which can have long lasting effects on world political stands of different countries, which I felt incredible.

[Matthews Gali]

The information provided in this book seems to essential especially to people who want to know more about this long conflict.