As the Bush administration teeters on the brink of a full-scale war in the Middle East, more and more Americans are seeking honest information about the conflict in Palestine -- a conflict that continues to profoundly shape U.S. policy in the region. Join the Open University of the Left for its free fall educational series on the history of one of the world's most misunderstood conflicts.

Location: Chicago Public Lincoln Park Branch
1150 W. Fullerton
All sessions 6:30-8:45pm FREE

After the kick-off on September 18, featuring a free screening of the new Denis Mueller documentary film, Tragedy in the Holy Land, the free six-class series begins on Wednesday, October 9 and runs every other Wednesday through December 18.

More info and course listings:

Wed Sept. 18th: Film Screening/Course Preview
Screening of 2001 documentary film "Tragedy in the Holy Land" (71min), produced by independent Chicago filmmaker Denis Meuller, providing a dramatic overview of the conflict from the 19th century to the present and featuring interviews with leading voices on Palestine, from Edward Said and Noam Chomsky to Steve Feuerstein of Not In My Name and Ali Abunimah of the Electronic Intifada. Discussion will include info on organizational aspects of the course and availability of source materials.

Class #1 Wed Oct. 9th
Palestine from Ancient Times to World War I; the Ottoman Empire in Decline; and the Rise of Zionism & Arab Nationalism

Class #2 Wed Oct. 23rd
The British Mandate administration; the Yishuv; the 1936-39 Arab Revolt; the Rise of European Fascism and the Coming of World War II

Class #3 Wed Nov. 6th
The Post-World War II Jewish Revolt; the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan; the 1948 Palestine War; the Role of the United States and the Great Powers

Class #4 Wed Nov. 20th
Israel & the Palestinians from 1949-1967

Class #5 Wed Dec. 4th
The 1967 War; the Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization; the 1982 Lebanon War; and the Israeli Occupation to 1987

Class #6 Wed Dec. 18th
The First Intifada; the Oslo "Peace Process"; the Second Intifada; and Concluding Observations

All classes will include presentations from leading experts in the field. Reading books on the subject is encouraged but not required.

Some recommended main texts for the course as a whole:
Baylis Thomas, How Israel Was Won
Benny Morris, Righteous Victims
Mark Tessler, A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Nathan Weinstock, Zionism: False Messiah
Fred Khouri, The Arab-Israeli Dilemma
Sami Hadawi, Bitter Harvest
David Hirst, The Gun & the Olive Branch
Punyapriya Dasgupta, Cheated by the World: the Palestinian Experience