Books / Events
Jonathan Dimbleby to discuss revised edition of acclaimed book The Palestinians
If you missed the sold-out talk by Jonathan Dimbleby at Clifton LitFest, there’s another chance to hear the veteran broadcaster and historian.
Dimbleby will discuss his latest book, a revised edition of The Palestinians, a collaboration with the acclaimed war photographer Don McCullin first published in 1979, on Tuesday at Design West.
He will explain the genesis of the book, illustrated by McCullin’s powerful photographs, and then consider the troubled situation today.
As the Hotwells-based author writes in the introduction to the lovingly-produced 2025 edition: “Golda Meir, the prime minister of Israel, had said, ‘There are no such thing as Palestinians… They do not exist’.
“This blatant falsehood lodged in my mind. As a reporter I soon found tangible evidence that thousands of these ‘non-existent’ people were living in conditions of abject poverty in or around scores of refugee camps.”
Dimbleby explains that he was not taking sides when he set out but that “the conflict in the Middle East will be solved only when the Palestinians and the Israelis are able to work out their joint salvation with each other”.
Chris Patten described The Palestinians in a review as “ a magisterial account of the events before prime minister Netanyahu came on the scene” and the new foreword “as good, and of course depressing, an account as anyone has written so far about these ghastly events which will stain Israel’s reputation for years to come and will doubtless turbocharge the most despicable sorts of antisemitism”.
There will be plenty of time for questions from the audience in the intimate setting of Design West’s Assembly Room during the event, which will be led by the entrepreneur and gender pay campaigner, professor Zara Nanu.
Jonathan Dimbleby on The Palestinians takes place at Design West on Narrow Quay on Tuesday at 6.30pm. For tickets and more information, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jonathan-dimbleby-on-the-palestinians-tickets-1942256805389
Main photo: Jonathan Dimbleby
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