Review of Operation Olive Tree

[Amanda Vogel]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Operation Olive Tree" by Jemil Metti.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The book, Operation Olive Tree written by Jemil Metti is an excellent novel that provokes deep thought and strong feelings. The story is of Israelites and Palestines. Palestines living in Israel is a cause of great concern for the Jewish community that lives there. The Israelites want for their homelands to be theirs. However, the Palestines live there because they own property, and Jamal’s family in particular, owns an olive tree farm. Jamal’s father tends to the farm.
Some of the children in this city attend the school Neve Shalom. This is a school that allows both Palestines and Israelites to attend classes together. There is contention on both sides about the school. Neither think it’s a good idea. Associating with one another seems to be a dangerous idea to both sides.
Jamal and Irith, students at the school, get picked to take opera vocal lessons at the university and many people on both sides are in uproar over the implications of this project. Palestines worry Jamal will give police the wrong idea about him. Especially with his uncle being wanted for terrorism, and the Israelites worry that showing friendliness toward the Palestines, even one gifted one will give the Palestines the idea that they are welcome to stay in their homelands, to name a few.
The book does include violent acts, as one would expect with a book of this nature, such as, the throwing of stones into homes, damaging property, threatening violence, gunshots, the hinting of suicide, and more.
This book is well-written, and thought provoking. There are many parts where you as the reader are so invested it is difficult to put down.
The book was hard to follow at first, until the story finally took shape, around the second chapter. A good deal of the background information was given without much context, until the characters were firmly introduced. Then the background clicked into place. You may choose to go back and reread the first chapter of the story.
I would give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and is looking for a story to capture their thoughts. This book makes one draw parallels between this situation and situations their society might have gone through. That is to say, this situation is not solely the burden of the book subjects’ to bear, it is everyone’s.

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Operation Olive Tree
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