The Holy Land at War

In this revealing journey through Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza itself, longtime journalist Mark Patinkin explores one of the world's most divisive conflicts, capturing the stories of both sides in "The Holy Land at War."

He saw where Oct. 7 unfolded, and later witnessed Palestinian hardship - and hospitality - in Ramallah and Bethlehem. He traveled through the now dystopian landscape inside the war zone, spoke with wounded IDF soldiers, the parents of Israeli hostages, and heard the words of everyday Palestinians struggling to survive in Gaza.

Patinkin took a similar trip three decades ago during the first intifada, and in 2024, caught up with many he interviewed then, weaving in their views on what has - and mostly hasn't - changed.

"The Holy Land at War" is not a political analysis but a personal odyssey - one writer's attempt to bear witness through those touched by this long conflict, Jews and Arabs sentenced together by history and geography.

Patinkin's hope is that readers will feel they have been brought along.

And that the journey will be revealing.

"A brave, compelling trek into both sides of the conflict." - Wayne Worcester, Professor of Journalism Emeritus, University of Connecticut

"Immersive, compassionate reporting." - Chip Scanlan, author of "Writers at Work."

Mark Patinkin, longtime Providence Journal columnist, is the author of "The Holy Land at War: A Journey Through Israel, the West Bank and Gaza." During his career in journalism, he has traveled abroad to write about African famine, the collapse of European communism and war in the Middle East. Mark was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for international reporting and has honorary degrees from Rhode Island College and Johnson and Wales University. Mark grew up in Chicago, graduated from Middlebury College and currently lives in Providence.

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