Benny Morris: A Controversial Historian

Early Life and Career

Benny Morris was born on December 8, 1948, in Kibbutz Beit Hashita, Israel. He studied history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received his Ph.D. in 1988. Morris is a professor of history in the Middle East Studies department of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba, Israel.

Historical Works

Morris has written numerous books and articles on the history of the Middle East, including The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-1949 (1988), A History of the First Arab-Israeli War (2008), and Turkey's Destruction of Its Christian Minorities, 1894-1924 (with Dror Zeevi, 2019).

Controversies

Morris's work has been the subject of much controversy. Some historians have accused him of bias towards the Israeli perspective and of downplaying the suffering of the Palestinians. Others have defended Morris's work and argued that he is a rigorous and objective historian.

In particular, Morris's book The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem has been controversial. Morris argues that the majority of Palestinian refugees fled their homes in 1948 not because they were expelled by Israeli forces, but because they were encouraged to do so by Arab leaders. This view has been challenged by other historians, who argue that Israeli military operations played a major role in the displacement of the Palestinians.

Recent Work

Despite the controversies, Morris continues to write and publish on the history of the Middle East. His recent works include One State, Two States: Resolving the Israel-Palestine Conflict (2009) and Israel's Border Wars, 1949-1956 (2011).

Legacy

Benny Morris is a controversial but influential historian. His work has shed light on important aspects of the history of the Middle East, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Morris's work will continue to be debated for years to come.