From Isratine with Love

October 2020, 305 pages

Available material: English sample

High-octane outlook on Israel and Palestine through ancient and modern history

Jakub Szántó’s core ambition is to present the fatefully entwined region of Israel and Palestine – the Isratine – as a place bubbling with ordinary life rather than purely a site of conflict. Szántó makes no secret of his love for both its peoples. Focused on individual stories of history-makers and their impacts on various groups, he uncovers an abundance of personal motivations and questions regarding individual identity. Szántó offers historical background on today’s state of affaires, while his main goal remains to disrupt the often-schematic perceptions and black-and-white visions of the restless region.

Speedy driving with hot female rally drivers through narrow Palestinian streets. Scuba diving amongst a swarm of hungry sharks along Israeli coast. Clenched-teeth storytelling by two old veterans who fought on opposing sides of the first Arab-Israeli war.

The TV reporter’s language is once again full of lively, sarcastic, and self-ironic humor. The book is accompanied by a wealth of Szántó’s photographs from his coverage of the Middle East, as well as explanatory maps.