First published 2025
Murray investigates why Western supporters rally behind Palestine in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He traveled to Israel and Gaza to document the October 7 massacre aftermath, interviewing victims, survivors, and perpetrators. Murray challenges the campus left narrative that frames the violence as white colonialists committing genocide, noting that only one-third of Israelis are Ashkenazi Jews of European ancestry. He argues the conflict represents a clash between a multi-racial democracy and what he calls a death cult. Murray contrasts Israel's embrace of capitalism, individual rights, democracy, and reason with Hamas ideology that celebrates death over life. Through on-the-ground reporting, he places recent violence in historical context and warns that misplaced Western sympathy could strengthen forces opposing democratic values. Murray contends that Israel serves as a beacon of progress in a region dominated by authoritarianism and extremism, while Hamas openly proclaims its destructive ideology.
Genres: history, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, social-commentary
Setting: Israel, Gaza
Period: October 7
240 pages · Hardcover · Broadside Books
Content warnings: violence