Donald Harman Akenson, God's People (1992). Akenson's chapters on Israel are especially useful in exploring the complex relationship between Israeli nationalism, religion and any role that the Bible may have played in the establishment of Israel and in informing Israeli attitudes towards Palestinians. Parallels are drawn between Israel, Northern Ireland and apartheid South Africa.

Mitchell G. Bard, Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2006). This book does contain a great deal of data and addresses many of the myths involved. In my opinion, it is far from neutral and favors the Israelis. If ‘Arab governments’ had not ‘gone to war in 1948’, ‘a Palestinian state would be celebrating more than half a century of independence’ (2006: 243). This is also on-line at the Jewish Virtual Library, where most of the historically relevant documents are also available.

J. Millard Burr and Robert O. Collins, Alms for Jihad (2006) chapter 9, ‘The Holy Land’ (2006: 211–36), detailed description of Islamic charities aiding Palestinians, arguing that much charity funds para-military activities.

Dan Cohn-Sherbok and Dawoud El-Alami, The Palestine-Israeli Conflict (revised edn 2004). Although labeled a ‘beginners guide’ this book gives a Jewish and a Palestinian perspective and lives up to its claim to be the ‘only book that allows both sides to be heard’. In my view, it is essential reading.