In the present world scenario Middle East is the focal point stretching down to South Asia via Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine witnessing rather going through the most brutal war imposed by a super power and its protégé ie United States of America and illegitimate state of Israel.
At first I thought I could go through the book rapidly but couldn't do so. It demanded greater attention. The subject and scope of the book is like a live electric wire incessantly emitting sparks all around, the media, print as well as electronic, engaged round the clock, the recent brutal murder of Shaikh Yasin adding fuel to fire.
The author having seven books already to his credit and having another two in the pipeline knows well enough how to arrange his facts to make them convincing. Once being a political activist he can understand the currents and under currents much better than the bookish scholars.
The book is divided into 13 chapters:
1- Arab world from middle ages to 20th century. 2- Conspiracies of the imperedist forces,
3- Palestine, 4- Establishment of a Zionist state, 5- Arab world, 6- Resistance movement,
7- Arab-Israel wars, 8- Ruination of Beruit, 9- Israelis and zionism, 10- New road-map for Middle East, 11- Legal justification for an unlawful war, 12- US military aid for Israel, 13- Conclusion.
There are three other chapters which in my opinion are not directly related to the subject mater.
The author has taken great pains to authenticate and substantiate his contentions and reproduced official records and documents relating to the events spread over a period of over a hundred years. There are 35 appendices beginning with the first World Zionist Congress at Basle in August 1897 ending at Political Declaration of Warsaw Pact countries, January 1983.
All these documents bear witness to all the conspiracies of the big powers to dismember the Ottoman empire, divide Arabs into various small states rendering them incapable of resisting the establishment of unnatural and unlawful Zionist State and supporting its all inhuman actions and the way in which hatred against Turkey was inculcated and nurtured amongst the Muslim Arabs.
All these aspects cannot be summed up in a brief renew. One can only appreciate the effort of Mahmood Javaid for conducting such a thorough going research, irrefutably proving the justness of Palestinian cause, exposing the Zionist designs to occupy and control the entire Middle East and serve the interest of the imperial forces led by the United State and its closest ally United Kingdom.
It may not be untrue to say that there is no other book in Urdu language which deals with the Palestinian problem so comprehensive by and pleads the Palestinian cause so convincingly.
The language of the book is quite lucid, and narration to the point. It is a valuable contribution particularly for those who want to study the issue in an objective perspective.
The paper and printing are good enough and the hard cover may help to keep it in good shape for a long time.
It is worth recommending to the serious readers.
Title of the book: From Basle to Baghdad (1897-2003)
Name of the author: Mahmood Javaid.
Year of Publication: 2003
Pages: 317
Price: Rs 300
Printer: Geographics & Printers
Available at: A M-19 Sarina Tawers, Sakhi Hasan Chourangi, North Nazimabad, Karachi