In his prison diary, an Israeli man incarcerated for refusing to combat the intifada or serve as a soldier in the West Bank describes the Palestinians' plight, touching upon the suffering on both sides of the conflict. Editorial Reviews From Publishers Weekly Langfur, an American Jew who settled in Jerusalem in 1979, here recounts how his refusal to serve military duty on the West Bank prompted the Israeli army to jail him for two weeks in 1989. He enriches the journal he kept of his prison experiences with biblical allusions, accounts of humorous incidents and portrayals of his jailers and fellow inmates. Despite his expressed revulsion at atrocities and the dehumanization he witnessed, Langfur appraises with exemplary fair-mindedness the historical background and the racial and political issues involved in the tragic conflict between Jews and Palestinians. The moral choices that obsess participants on both sides are the subject of his deeply felt commentary and philosophical musings. "In killing Palestinian children," he warns, "we condemn our grandchildren. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal Langfur, an American trained as a philosopher, emigrated to Israel to build a life and a family. After ten years, he found himself in a military prison for refusing to serve in the occupied territories. During his 21-day sentence, he washed dishes, chatted with fellow prisoners, and pondered the history and future of his adopted country. His prison diary, expanded into this book, shifts between a daily record of the tedium and distractions of prison routine and a philosophical analysis of resistance and duty. He explores the essence of Judaism and its biblical roots, sometimes for himself and sometimes for his less educated and more pragmatic prison mates. The book has many interesting and thoughtful passages but lacks the focus and momentum that would bring the monolog to life. It will appeal to readers with a concern for Israeli survival and the rights of Palestinians, but only if they have patience for its slow pace. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/92. - Elizabeth R. Hayford, Associated Colls. of the Midwest, Chicago Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.