Nur Masalha

Nur Masalha is a Palestinian historian and academic known for his work on the history and politics of Palestine and Israel. He has written extensively on the Palestinian refugee issue and the concept of 'transfer' in Zionist thought.

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. Palestine

    A Four Thousand Year History

    This insightful work delves into the historical and cultural evolution of a region deeply intertwined with complex narratives and identities. It explores the rich tapestry of its past, examining the interplay of various civilizations and the enduring impact of colonial and post-colonial influences. Through a critical lens, the book challenges prevailing narratives, offering a nuanced perspective on the socio-political dynamics that have shaped the region's present-day realities. It serves as a compelling exploration of identity, memory, and the enduring quest for self-determination amid a backdrop of conflict and resilience.

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  2. 2. Expulsion Of The Palestinians

    The Concept of 'Transfer' in Zionist Political Thought, 1882-1948

    A scholarly examination of how the idea of population transfer featured in Zionist political thought and planning from the late 19th century through the creation of Israel, arguing from archival evidence that expulsion of Arab inhabitants was discussed, debated and at times operationalized rather than merely an accidental byproduct of war; the book traces proposals and rhetoric among leaders and institutions, situates those debates in the Mandate and wartime context, analyzes how these ideas influenced policies leading to the 1948 Palestinian displacement, and assesses the moral, legal and historiographical implications of those findings.

  3. 3. The Palestine Nakba

    Decolonising History, Narrating the Subaltern, Reclaiming Memory

    This study reconstructs the 1948 Palestinian catastrophe by documenting the mass expulsions, village destructions, land expropriations and the resulting refugee crisis, while interrogating how official narratives have obscured or distorted Palestinian experience. Drawing on archival records, maps, oral testimony and critical historiography, it challenges dominant Israeli and Western accounts, foregrounds the politics of memory and dispossession, and argues for recognition of Palestinian rights and the centrality of memory in demands for justice and return.

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  4. 4. The Bible And Zionism

    Invented Traditions, Archaeology and Post-Colonialism in Palestine-Israel

    The book argues that Zionism systematically appropriated and reinterpreted biblical texts and archaeological practice to construct a modern historical narrative that legitimized Jewish settlement and facilitated the dispossession of Palestinians; it shows how ‘invented traditions,’ selective readings of scripture, nationalist archaeology, place‑name changes and colonial institutions combined to erase Palestinian presence from the landscape and scholarly discourse, and calls for a postcolonial reassessment of biblical scholarship and archaeology to expose power relations and recover suppressed Palestinian histories.

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