May 22, 2014

Come to London to see and hear Norman Finkelstein, the man who pissed off everybody

If you're in striking distance of London you could find yourself in striking distance of Norman Finkelstein by taking a trip to the Conway Hall at 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL where his book, Old Wine, Broken Bottles, Ari Shavitt's Promised Land is being launched by publishers, OR Books, in association with Jews for Justice for Palestinians.

Here's the blurb from Conway Hall:

Image of Old Wine, Broken Bottle : Norman Finkelstein's Book Launch

Old Wine, Broken Bottle : Norman Finkelstein's Book Launch

Sat 31 May 2014, 19:00
Jews for Justice for Palestinians presents
London Launch of Norman Finkelstein's latest book: "Old Wine, Broken Bottle: Ari Shavit's Promised Land"
Start: 6.30pm for a 7pm start. End: 10pm.
Norman Finkelstein is a strong speaker celebrated for his brilliant demolitions of Zionist propaganda and full-tilt attacks on the American Israel Lobby.

His new book is a take-down of Ari Shavit’s “My Promised Land”, which he finds is an attempt to repackage Zionist propaganda and win back Diaspora Jews. "Old Wine, Broken Bottle" is a devastating and very entertaining critique that concludes that Shavit will not succeed, and that a broad-based mass movement is now growing that can pressure the Israeli government to withdraw to the 1967 borders.

But Finkelstein is nothing if not controversial: having defied the Zionist establishment, he now stands apart from the mainstream of Palestine solidarity by denouncing the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement as a marginal “cult”. His vehement insistence on the Two State Solution has also been widely challenged.

Professor Finkelstein will open with a conversation with JfJfP signatory Stephen Marks. Then fans and critics alike can put their own questions to him. All are welcome.

Expect a bumpy ride!

Tickets: Free event, but please help towards costs: £3 donation suggested at the door

Image Credit: Wikipedia
Finkelstein has written some wonderful stuff exposing the gulf between Israel's image in the west with its reality on the ground.  He's also given some good talks and made devastating ripostes to zionist critics.  More recently he has lashed out against proponents of the one state solution in Palestine and supporters of the campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the State of Israel.  He's expressed a certainty about future events that seemed to some to be misplaced at the time and certainly hasn't been borne out by events.  I'm referring to his belief that Kerry was poised to impose a disastrous settlement on the Palestinians that would leave Israel in direct control of everything within the area of the wall.  This, of course, didn't happen.  Does that mean it won't happen?  I don't know.  Perhaps we should double check with Norman Finkelstein.

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