"Fighting Back: Letters From the Diaspora" Examines Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - June 18, 2007) - Alan B. Katz, attorney and writer from Melville, NY, announces the publication of his book "Fighting Back: Letters From The Diaspora" (AuthorHouse 2007), a compelling look into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

With no desire to seek a public relations victory, the Israelis have let nature take its course. During the Second Lebanon War, an Israeli cabinet minister casually opined that she was not supposed to be Israel's cheerleader to the international body politic. The Palestinians, of course, know better. Mohammed Irman, perhaps Hamas's leading architect of terror and its most vicious and unrepentant murderer, currently serving 35 life sentences in an Israeli jail, stated, "The media department of our military wing has an important role because more than half of the war these days is a media war." The Palestinians have successfully manipulated the media with hyperbole, misinformation and outright lies that are rarely challenged. "And that," says Katz, "is why this book is so important."

The media have treated Israel like their personal piñata. Skewed reporting, biased editorials and putting a particular spin on the news were, and still are, common practices. Outright falsehoods, doctored photographs and staged "news events" continue to be the mechanism for blaming Israel for everything in the Middle East, from the war in Iraq to the extreme Islamist culture of death. Katz's rejoinder to the New York Times, Reuters and rest of the media started with a short essay on the right of self-defense and soon evolved into a letter-writing campaign. Many "letters to the editor" and several essays later we now have an interesting format and unique book.

Katz delves into the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict bringing a deeply human element to the disturbing images the world views on television. "Fighting Back" humanizes the Israelis and shows them to be a highly moral, compassionate and law-abiding nation who have faced far more pain and desolation than we have been led to believe. Indeed, more sinned against than sinning, theirs is a just and moral cause. The harsh reality is that it has been traumatic for the Israelis as well. Before we can alter the status quo and achieve peace, we must first understand the facts and the dynamics at work.

Subtitled "What the Media Aren't Telling You about the Middle East Conflict," Katz shows how print and visual media have promoted Israel-bashing and demonized the Israelis while Palestinians, who intentionally target civilians, are portrayed as helpless victims. Katz articulates moral and ethical truths in this mad conflict where Palestinians are not held accountable for their conduct, and the rest of the world is in various states of apathy and antipathy regarding Israel.

"Fighting Back" exposes the hypocrisy of the media and true nature of the Palestinians. It is a timely contribution to the public discourse and brings a perspective sorely lacking in the current debate. For information, see www.fightingbackletters.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Alyssa Nightingale 631.367.8599