Mitchell G. BardBesprekingen

"A brilliant expose of the powerful but inconspicuous interest group that. for decades has persistently undermined U. S. foreign and national security interests."

Enjoyable read. Insightful and thought pro

Mitchell Bard's book, Death to the infidels is an in depth look at Jewish-Muslim relations, especially the last century. Well covered is the creation of Israel and the many wars which followed. Major differences in the Arab world versus other Muslim states are noted as well as the U.S.'s shifting positions on Israel and the Palestinians.

First, it must be noted that this is not a balanced account of the conflict, but written from the Israeli point of view. Bard writes in a scholarly tone and he uses end notes to cite his many sources. In my advanced reader’s copy, there was no index (and I could have used one many times to go back to previous chapters) but one will be included in the final version of the book.

In today's increasingly anti-semitic world where even the terrible comments of a representative in the U.S. House were not censured, it is important to know what has happened in the past so we can reconstruct a future that is fair to all participants: Muslim, Jew and Christian. This book goes a long way in understanding the Israeli point of view and allows the reader to grasp the fundamentals necessary understand today's world.½

Until November of 1938 Jews of Germany had little reason to believe that their physical safety was at risk. All that changed on Kristallnacht. The power of this book derives from the vivid words of German children who saw their world suddenly destroyed by Nazi brutality and by the apathy of their neighbors and classmates. A “gripping oral history”.

Won this through the Early Readers program and was looking forward to reading it to get a better understanding of the Mideast and the struggles between Muslims and Jews.
Started out very interesting and clearly but I soon got bogged down. there are so many different groups on both sides I could not keep them clear. I'm sure this was more of a problem on my part than on the author.
I'm sure it is a struggle for anyone to keep all the factions clear. Seemed like it took me forever to read because I couldn't keep everyone straight. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy it more.

A solid, if brief, tour through the history of the modern state of Israel, of the ages-old conflict between Jews and Muslims, and of the evolution of the conflict since 1948 from mostly political/nationalistic to religious. He thoroughly documents the virulent anti-Semitism that has long motivated antipathy to Israel, revealing it as a hatred of the Jews themselves and of even the idea that a Jewish state could even persist in the midst of Muslim nations. He provides quotations from many Palestinian and Muslim leaders in which they declare their intent to drive the Jews into the sea. He also details the many opportunities the Palestinians have had to get their state -- and how they have rejected the deals every time because they simply won't accept Israel's right to exist at all in any capacity (a good companion book which focuses on the Palestinians is State of Failure: Yasser Arafat, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Unmaking of the Palestinian State by Jonathan Schanzer).

Parts of this book were quite hard to get through -- very dry and consisting of long lists of statistics -- but overall a decent treatment of probably the most important political/religious issue we face today.

Very interesting and relevant book as the West struggles to grapple with the horrors of ISIS, Boko Haram, and other groups. It requires a very different philosophical and ethical understanding to imagine where such radicals are coming from, and this book helps the reader bridge some of that gap to better understand their enemy.

Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam's War Against the Jews by Mitchell G. Bard is a complex book that examines exactly what the title implies. My historical knowledge of this particular subject is a simplified one that was echoing in my brain while reading through the pages of the book. If one is not familiar with this topic, this book would certainly help to one to understand. My knowledge of this topic, as mentioned before, is a very simplified understanding rooting back to Abraham and as I read the book, that kept resounding in the back of my mind and the conclusion kept coming back to that.

I'm liking this book so far. I'm only about halfway through but wanted to get started on my review since I am an "early reviewer." It's taking me a little longer to get through because there is so much to try to retain, and for other reasons (mainly health-related) I just haven't been in the right mindset.

Bard does a great job in making sense out of the complex history, but I am coming from a place of very little knowledge, so it's just, well...a LOT all at once. I actually appreciate that there is a bit of redundancy because it helps me to assimilate the material as names and events come up again. Much of the history in the first half was before my time. I knew some history, but there have been some things that have also really surprised me, and overall shed more perspective on the current events in the middle east.

So far the only thing that could be improved in this book would be to add some maps. I often don't care to reference maps, but since the geography is so crucial, and with territories changing, I think it would be quite helpful.

at the bottom of pg 260 says it best, Pastor Martin Niemoeller was speaking about the Nazis coming after the Communist, then the Socialists & Trade Unionists, then the Jews, then they finally came for me, but there was no one left to speak out for me. Plenty of book footnotes to do your own research, a must read!

An excellent and detailed account of Islam's historic hatred of the Jewish people. The book gave much historical information I had forgotten or never knew. This book helped me to understand how critical it is for the US to remain a strong ally for Israel. I would highly recommend it.

In an often rambling and repetitive manner, Bard restates the case that Jews and Moslems cannot coexist anywhere in the world let alone in the Middle East. The historical evidence he presents is voluminous and facts undisputable although the truths may be selective truths given his unabashed biases. There is nothing new in those assertions.
In a nutshell, the book is depressive. The most critical point the author makes is that the conflict between the Jews and the Palestinians is not about land or politics. It is a religious conflict and theological arguments cannot be resolved by negotiation. But framing the problem as religious does little to advance the peace process. A religious war is not winnable by either side as long as one believer is left standing. By default, Bard suggests that a religious war is inevitable—the end game is apocalyptic with the Jews waiting for their messiah, the Moslems waiting for their final Caliph and the Christians waiting for the Second Coming. Other than survival, there is no incentive to avert the inevitable.

After reading this book, I am enlightened about the present situation between ISIS, radical Islam and the survival of Israel and those believing in other religions. However, I am also thoroughly depressed. Mitchell Bard has written a very informative book on the history of the establishment and rise of Islam and the role it will play in the future of the lives of nonbelievers like Christians and Jews etc. What can I say but things do not look good for anyone who is not a follower of Islam. "Death to the Infidels" explains that there is one underlying principal of Islam...to convert all the world to its religion and the first goal is to destroy Israel and eliminate all the Jews across the world. Next, to eliminate all other faiths.

Just like no one believed Hitler, the world is unwilling to listen to what they are being told by the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah and many other Muslim groups. They state outright that Martyrdom is their ticket to Paradise and they are not afraid of dying. On the contrary, whereas most people celebrate life, they celebrate death. The author provides the reader with many examples of terrorism by radical Muslims. He sights statistics for the present existence of Muslims in Europe and other countries and the future growth and dominance of this religion throughout the world. He explains that Islam is a patient religion and will achieve dominance over the next few decades.

Bard explains that the failure of policymakers to understand what is happening globally will lead to another situation starting WWIII and perhaps even the use of nuclear weapons by Iran or Saudi Arabia. Sadly, I don't think the author is an alarmist. His examples provide support for action to protect democracy around the world to allow for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and certainly women's rights of self-determination which are clearly nonexistent in Islam.

This is an important book to read. It is one that will call you to take action to protect the very ideals you believe in and your way of life. Read it, buy it for a friend and provide a copy for your local library!

Not a quick read for all the historical details involved in telling the story with a conclusion that peace in the Middle East is not going to happen by natural or humanly-devised means. When one side throws down the gauntlet and says the other must be driven into the sea and destroyed, what trustworthy "peace agreement" is left to devise? Bard presents strong and compelling case for Israel based on claims of historical fact; any opposition worthy of consideration should deal with the facts he has laid out, to prove them to be true or false.

I wish I had read this book before the summer. It is not a story-like book, but reads like a history book. It is very informative and covers a lot of history that brings us to present day. It was especially eye opening to read example after example confirming that Muslims will never agree to any agreement of peace with Israel as the ultimate goal of Muslims is to eradicate Jews which includes Israel. It is fair to say that the book comes from a pro-Israel bias but that doesn't mean that it doesn't accurately convey many valid points regarding the war on Jews by Muslims.

This book is about hate. Palestinians hate Jews; Jews hate Palestinians; Sunnis hate Shites; we all should hate fundamentalists. The writer is a librarian and the prose reads like a list of who hates who the most; who said what; what happened when. There is no sense of a story teller here, no threading narrative. The writer is a librarian and it definitely feels like a librarian, who has well-developed a sense of indexing, put together this book. The librarian lines up all his totems to illustrate his point (the hate). In a way it reminded me of Oriana Fallaci's THE RAGE AND THE PRIDE, though in that book we have a strong sense of the narrator/storyteller. Their messages are both the same: don't put your head in the sand. Look at what is happening. Muslim fundamentalism is infiltrating Europe and Mid-East, threatening the security of Israel ( and consequently of us all) and it is not going away.

Mitchell Bard's Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam's War Against the Jews, is an information packed history of the Israeli/Arab conflict. Bard makes the argument that Muslim states, particularly those who are radical will stop at nothing to see Jews wiped from the face of the Earth. I was gripped with the intensity with which the Israeli Jews fear for their lives.

The book is useful; I would have liked a few more sources, especially for those areas speaking against Israel's enemies. I know I can search online, but when I'm in the middle of a book, the last thing I want to do is to go online and get distracted while trying to find some piece of information that I expect to be in a book like this. Bard includes several sources, but there are a few places where he doesn't—and in those places they would do a lot to strengthen his side of the argument. As I pointed out, Bard includes a fair number of sources; a bibliography would facilitate the further study of these issues.

Bard argues that the conflict is at that bottom a religious one rather than a political one. It could be political using religion to carry our its ends. It wouldn't be the first time and that interpretation can be gathered from Bard's book.

I'm reminded while reading Death to the Infidels to try to look at both sides of the issue. When so much smoke and mirror propaganda and spin is being used by both sides of the issue, it's very difficult to know where to stand. From my view, which is not in the thick of it, I can see that both sides have done atrocious things to the other; that many people: soldiers, as well as non-military fighters, as well as civilians not involved in the fighting—innocent men, women, and children have died in this conflict that goes on for so long that media in the West stops covering because it's no longer news.

My heart breaks for the Israeli Jews who just want a homeland and it breaks for the Palestinians who want the same thing. It breaks for all those who are caught in the middle of this religio-political melee.

It's difficult to read/research both sides because each side has its own suffering and each side has its spin-doctors. I tend to agree with what Daniel Gilbert writes in Stumbling on Happiness, “When pro-Israeli and pro-Arab viewers [of news] are shown identical samples of Middle East news coverage, both proponents claim that the fact clearly show that the press was biased against their side” (168). They also claim that the other side started it. Gilbert later writes: “Alas, the only thing these facts clearly show is that people tend to see what they want to see” (168, emphasis in original). Bard has made it easier to see the Jewish side, and the fear that keeps the Israelis from giving in to the demands of the Palestinians.

According to Bard, every time the Israelis have given an inch, the Palestinians have taken a mile and have continued to bring terror in the form of firing rockets and suicide bombings. He makes the point, however, that when Israel fires back in defense, they are reprimanded by other nations. It's also interesting that each side claims that the West, especially the U.S. is aiding the other side: the Palestinians say that the U.S. helps Israel; Israel says the U.S. helps Palestine. Books like Bard's are important; he's not afraid to go against the current “politically correct” flow and to tell it like he sees it. He pulls no punches in saying that those who want Israel's and especially the Jews' demise are not moderate and radical, but should rather be called radical and more radical. He quotes (with sources) several who call for the decimation/annihilation of the Jews even if it takes centuries. Because of the lengths to which these radicals are willing to go, Bard argues, Jews and Israel have a long, hard road ahead of the them.

Bard covers a lot of information in a short book, and all of it is important. Read this if you're interested in this heart-wrenching conflict that has cost so many lives and will cost many more before it's over, if it will /can ever be over. I for one hope (probably foolishly) that Bard is wrong, even a little. Alas, it's not very likely: just look at the new escalation that is in the news right now (18 July 2014).

It took a long time for me to finish this book. There is so much information about the conflict in Palestine that it was difficult to absorb it. As I finished this book a war between Israel and Hamas was taking place. In fact, Israel and Hamas had just agreed to a five-hour , U.N.-brokered "humanitarian" cease fire to their nine day war. This book, written from an Israeli perspective, describes in detail why this conflict continues. It describes why previous wars occurred, and why the inevitable future wars will occur.
The author elaborates on national, political, territorial, cultural, and religious dimension of the conflict. He postulates that " it is a religious obligation for Muslims to subjugate the infidels and it is unacceptable that non-Muslims should rule over Muslims or that non-Muslims should control Muslim territory. The actions of groups like Hamas, the PLO, Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad are given to support that theory.
This book will leave the reader wondering if there could ever be a solution to the Palestine conflict.

Powerful book about the religious war between the radical Islamists and the Jews. Mitchell Bard explains the conflicts and the problems with extracting peace in the Middle East and how it cannot happen unless the silent majority of Muslims speak out against the radical Muslims and stand up for peace.

this is an uncorrected, Advance Reader's Edition, received free thru LT for review. As the title alludes to, the conflict over the Palestinian fate is more one of religion than of politics. There will not be a 'happy' ending to the Muslim rejection of a Jewish state of Israel because the Islamic believers who are stirring up the pot of conflict, claim that they are to "combat the threat posed by Jews thru jihad" (p.91) so there will only be an end when the Jews are no more. Pursuing a peaceful end to the hostilities isn't a realistic achievement. Mr Bard presents decades of facts to back this up. This book is more about a reality check than it is about telling the reader anything new. He makes it very clear, that Islam will not tolerate any dissension and it will not stop with the Jews. I read this while ISIS was establishing control in Iraq, there were horrible kidnapping/murders in Israel and Hamas had stepped up its barrage of rockets into Israel, just in case I didn't believe how serious the Islamists are about 'death to the infidels'.
The writing is a little uneven, but perhaps the final version will even that out. There are plenty of references and it isn't so long that one grows weary of the bad news.
I will be reading this one again, the timeline of events is helpful.

One sentence captures the essential problem in world affairs in regard to the followers of Mohammed: "the jihad will not end until the Islamists remake the world as they believe Allah intended." (p. 246)
Mitchell Bard’s book, "Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam’s War Against the Jews" is an excellent read for anyone who wants a 10,000 foot look at the history of conflict in the Middle East, for anyone who senses a sympathetic connection with Jews but wants to know more about why that may be justifiable, and for anyone who who may desire to oppose the misinformation constantly spewed in the media regarding Israel. We may know little of the Israeli=Palestinian conflict, but this book is one way to find our way about it.

If you are looking for a scholarly treatment of the anti-Semitic bent of “radical” Islam, then you may want to keep looking. Mitchell Bard’s book, Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam’s War Against the Jews is a compendium of second hand thoughts and secondary source material. In fact, his footnoted material includes Wikipedia and his own website (thejewishvirtuallibrary.org). The reader should expect more from someone with a Ph.D in political science, but what they get, however, is something that might be written by Bill O’Reilly.

While the books is readable, much of his source material is from secondary sources. In fact, in his first chapter, “Islam and the Jews”, he discusses a May 2002 television program which he (alleges) has children describing Jews as “apes and pigs” (9). However, Bard does not appear to have even watched the program, rather, he found mention of it in a work by Aluma Solnick, “Based on Koranic Verses, Interpretations, and Traditions, Muslim Clerics State: The Jews Are the Descendants of Apes, Pigs, And Other Animals” which appears on the website memri.org (261). On page 5 of the work he lists a “handful of examples” of Jews-as-descendants-of-apes-and-pigs meme. Four bullet points, with four separate footnotes – all lifted from one source: memari.org.

Bard is at his best when dealing strictly with the recent past and the genesis of the modern nation of Israel. When his narrative is clean and free of polemics, it is actually quite interesting. Once he loses his balance, so to speak, and falls back into the rhetorical flourishes right wing politics, however, his facts become much more selective and his sources much more narrow. It is the "usual suspects" who fill Bard's bibliography and nothing that is new and noteworthy.

Essentially the work is simply red meat for those on the right – but it isn’t even a good piece of red meat – there is nothing in the book that isn’t just reprocessed from the same small group of sources. Pass this book by.

"Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam's War against the Jews" is a polemical work written by an academic trying to describe the current situation that Israel faces and the 'threat' that 'radical Islam' poses to not only Israel but the world. The author has utilized some of the more recent literature on various topics dealing with Israel and the Middle East and created, in some ways, a synthesis for an updated discussion about the current situation in the Middle East. It quickly becomes clear that this is not an objective work, but there are few, if any, works written on the Middle East that can be objective. The author here clearly has a bias and it shows. But that in and of itself doesn't invalidate some of the points he makes or the issues he brings up.

Bard takes the reader from the beginning of the creation of modern day Israel and highlights the fact that not only were many Jews immigrants to the land but so were many future 'Palestinians', a fact often overlooked. The various wars Israel was involved in are also discussed as are the numerous terrorist phases (Intifadas) that were unleashed against Israel on the flimsiest of pretexts. The last few chapters of the book also look into the 'Arab Spring' the issues modern Europeans face with their growing Muslim populations.

There is no question that there exists a double standard when it comes to Israel and her history, especially when discussed on the international arena. The author points out numerous instances where Israel has been held accountable for questionable policies and acts yet similar situations go unnoticed when perpetrated by other states. In the end, I can't say this is a highly original piece of literature. There are not enough endnotes, context is at times missing, but the point of a polemic is to be engaging and controversial and in that respect Bard has done a good job. Any reader who takes up this volume will at least walk away wanting to learn more and better educate themselves on the topic(s) covered.

If you are looking for a fair, balanced overview of the current Middle East conflict, I suggest you look elsewhere. The real situation, as it is in any complex situation, is far more nuanced than Bard seems to paint it. His entire perspective is from the Jewish viewpoint. He picks and chooses quotes from the Koran and from Muslims to further his own agenda. I am no expert on the Middle East but I know a one sided diatribe when I read it. We can spin any tale from the Torah or the Christian bible to create any point of view we would like to make. My point is not to defend terrorists who have as their ultimate goals the extermination of anyone who does not follow their religious views. Bard also does present many facts in his book but he leaves out those which would discredit his points of view.

The following quote from is from Ben Cohen, editor of The Daily Banter.
"A grievous crime was committed against Palestinians when their land was forcefully taken from them in 1948. They had committed no crimes against Jews, and were not consulted when their land was given away. European nations had systematically slaughtered Jews for centuries, then laid the burden on the Palestinians, a fact that the West would rather forget. The Palestinians will never get their land back, just as Native Americans won't get theirs. But at least we can acknowledge what has happened to them, and work seriously for a lasting solution. The Palestinians are an oppressed people, and to blame them for their own predicament is simply inexcusable. "

The first step if there is any hope of a lasting peace is to settle the Palestinian problem. The answers to radical Muslims who want total destruction of Jews and Christians throughout the world is more problematic since new generations are being raised to hate! There has to be a psychological shift in thinking for which I have no solutions.

My fear is that books like this only makes the problems we are facing more dangerous because it fosters prejudice and hatred. We can only hope that by the grace of God, the future of generations that follow is more hopeful than the current one we live in.

"Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them". Koran(4:90)

An excellent, balanced overview of the history and undercurrents of the current situation in the Middle East, this book explains why there is little hope for a lasting peace under current circumstances. One draw-back - it is quite repetitious and sometimes I think that tends to weaken, rather than strengthen , his case.½