A Balcony Over Jerusalem: a Memoir of Occupation

A gripping memoir of life in Jerusalem from one of Australia's most experienced Middle East correspondents. Israel has controlled the West Bank for more than 40 years. For 20 years, John Lyons has been writing about the occupation and the persistence of the conflict around the 'Settlements' - and their broader implications for world peace amid the growing turbulence in the Arab world and the emergence of the Islamic State. This is a book written from the battle-scarred heart of one of the world's most disputed territories. John Lyons lived in Jerusalem for six years, sending his son to a local school and befriending his Israeli neighbours. He has confronted Hamas officials about rockets fired into Israel and Israeli soldiers about tear gas shot at Palestinian children. He has been kidnapped in the line of work. By telling the story of his travels in the region he paints a vivid picture of daily life against the backdrop of the Arab-Israeli conflict, at times dazzling, at other times tragic.