Language, Power, And Justice in Palestine
By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
01 June 2026
Main Points:
· It argues that Shehadeh shows how language is used to shape conflict narratives, justify domination, and hide injustice.
· It highlights his critique of terms like “absentee property” and “abandoned property,” which erase Palestinian presence and legitimize dispossession.
· It notes his challenge to dominant myths about Israel and his emphasis on apartheid-like conditions and unequal power relations.
· It also focuses on his criticism of the Oslo Accords, which he sees as limiting Palestinian agency rather than creating real peace.
· It praises the book’s clear style and its moral call to reclaim language as a tool for truth, dignity, and resistance.
Language of War, Language of Peace: Palestine, Israel and the Search for Justice
Author: Raja Shehadeh
Publisher: Hachette, India
Year of Publication: 2021
Pages: 150
Price: Rs 299
ISBN: 9781781253762
Raja Shehadeh’s Language of War, Language of Peace: Palestine, Israel and the Search for Justice is a deeply reflective and intellectually rigorous work that interrogates the politics of language in shaping narratives of conflict, justice, and peace in Palestine. A lawyer, writer, and co-founder of the human rights organization Al-Haq, Shehadeh brings to this concise yet profound text both lived experience and analytical clarity. The book is not merely a chronicle of political developments but an excavation of how language itself becomes a site of struggle—used to justify domination, obscure injustice, and manufacture consent.
At its core, the book grapples with the tension between what Antonio Gramsci famously described as “pessimism of the intellect” and “optimism of the will.” Shehadeh’s reflections resonate with this duality: while he offers a sobering critique of political failures and structural injustices, there remains an undercurrent of hope that truth-telling and ethical engagement can still reclaim the discourse. This optimism is not naïve but grounded in a persistent belief that language, when reclaimed, can challenge entrenched systems of power.
One of the most striking aspects of Shehadeh’s work is his dissection of the terminology imposed upon Palestinians. He highlights how Palestinians displaced during the Nakba of 1948 are not consistently recognized as refugees by Israel or even adequately protected under international frameworks. Instead, they are often labelled as “absentees,” a term that carries profound legal and moral implications. The designation effectively erases their presence, history, and rights, reducing them to a bureaucratic category that facilitates dispossession. This linguistic manoeuvre is not incidental but central to the project of control, as it allows for the appropriation of land under the guise of legality.
Shehadeh further traces how such terminology evolved through subsequent conflicts. In 1948, Palestinian lands were classified as “absentee property,” while after the 1967 war, similar expropriations were justified under the label of “abandoned property.” These terms, while seemingly administrative, function as tools of erasure, transforming acts of displacement into neutral legal processes. By unpacking these linguistic constructions, Shehadeh reveals how the language of law can be weaponized to legitimize injustice.
The book also challenges dominant narratives that portray Israel as an anti-imperial project or a land reclaimed from emptiness. Shehadeh critiques the enduring myth that the territory was a barren desert awaiting cultivation, a narrative that systematically denies the existence and history of its indigenous population. This myth-making is not merely rhetorical; it underpins policies and international perceptions that marginalize Palestinian claims and experiences.
Equally significant is Shehadeh’s exploration of apartheid-like conditions faced by Palestinians. He underscores the asymmetry between native Palestinians and settler Israelis, emphasizing that the structures of control and segregation disproportionately target the indigenous population. This reality is often obscured in global discourse, where the language of “conflict” suggests parity between two sides rather than acknowledging the imbalance of power.
Drawing from his own professional journey, Shehadeh offers a poignant critique of Palestinian political leadership and the limitations of legal strategies within this context. Reflecting on his involvement during the Oslo Accords, he writes: “My experience of working with the leadership had taught me that there was no role for a legal adviser, or indeed legal strategies, in the way that Palestinian politics was conducted. The role of the intellectual had changed, as had that of the human rights activist.” (pp. 38–39). This candid admission exposes the marginalization of legal and intellectual voices in political decision-making processes, particularly during a period that was widely heralded as a breakthrough for peace.
Shehadeh’s assessment of the Oslo Accords is especially critical. Rather than viewing them as a step toward genuine self-determination, he interprets them as a form of surrender that entrenched existing power imbalances. The accords, he argues, continue to function as binding agreements that constrain Palestinian agency while allowing Israel to maintain control over key aspects of life, including borders and population registries. This critique invites readers to reconsider the widely accepted narrative of Oslo as a peace process, suggesting instead that it institutionalized a framework of limited autonomy under continued occupation.
The book also addresses the paradox of Israel’s claim to seek peace while simultaneously asserting that there is no viable partner for negotiation. This rhetorical stance serves to justify unilateral actions and deflect responsibility, reinforcing a cycle in which the absence of dialogue is both a cause and a consequence of ongoing conflict. Shehadeh’s analysis exposes the contradictions inherent in such claims, urging readers to scrutinize the language that shapes international understanding of the issue.
Another critical dimension of the book is its focus on the psychological impact of occupation, a subject that is often neglected in political analyses. Shehadeh emphasizes that beyond physical restrictions and economic hardships, the occupation exerts a profound toll on the mental and emotional well-being of Palestinians. The constant uncertainty, surveillance, and fragmentation of communities create a pervasive sense of insecurity and dislocation.
This reality is starkly illustrated in the following passage: “Since 1967, 14,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem have had their status as permanent residents of Israel revoked. Tens of thousands wait to be allowed to rejoin families in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In January 2012 the Israeli High Court agreed to continued suspension of family reunification. Israel remains in control of the borders as well as the population register even in areas under the Palestinian Authority’s control. Without Israeli approval, Palestinians do not have the right to reside in their own country, nor can they visit it.” (p. 60). This excerpt encapsulates the bureaucratic mechanisms through which control is exercised, highlighting the intersection of legal authority and human suffering.
Shehadeh’s narrative also pays attention to those Palestinians who remained within the borders of Israel after 1948, often referred to as the “Arab Israelis.” Their experiences, he notes, are frequently overlooked in broader discussions of the conflict. Despite holding Israeli citizenship, they continue to face systemic discrimination and are subject to policies that privilege Jewish citizens. By including their perspectives, Shehadeh broadens the scope of the conversation, illustrating the multifaceted nature of Palestinian identity and struggle.
Stylistically, the book is marked by clarity and restraint. Shehadeh avoids polemics, instead allowing facts, legal analysis, and personal reflection to build a compelling argument. His prose is accessible yet nuanced, making complex issues understandable without oversimplification. This balance is particularly important given the charged nature of the subject, as it enables readers to engage critically without feeling overwhelmed.
What distinguishes Language of War, Language of Peace is its insistence on the ethical responsibility of language. Shehadeh demonstrates that words are not neutral; they shape perceptions, influence policies, and determine whose narratives are heard or silenced. By exposing the distortions embedded in dominant discourses, he calls for a more honest and just vocabulary—one that acknowledges historical realities and affirms the dignity of all people involved.
For readers in conflict regions, where questions of identity, occupation, and narrative control also resonate deeply, Shehadeh’s work offers valuable insights. The parallels are not exact, but the emphasis on language as a tool of power and resistance provides a framework for understanding other conflicts marked by asymmetry and contested histories.
In conclusion, Raja Shehadeh’s Language of War, Language of Peace is a vital contribution to the literature on Palestine and Israel. It challenges readers to look beyond surface narratives and to critically examine the words that shape our understanding of justice and peace. Combining legal expertise, personal experience, and moral clarity, Shehadeh delivers a work that is both intellectually engaging and profoundly human. It is a book that demands careful reading and reflection, offering not only a critique of the present but also a hopeful vision for a more truthful and equitable discourse.
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M. H. A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir.
URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/language-power-justice-in-palestine/d/140225
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