Research for this book depended on and benefited from the hospitality and cooperation of many Palestinian and Israeli residents of Natzerat Illit. It is a pleasant duty to thank Pnina and Gadi Liebreider, Salim and Odet Khūri, Benny and Raʾaya Halevi, Samiḥ and ʾAlya Riziq, Edna and Eli Rodrig, Nasif and Nūha Bader, Lutfi and Vida Mashʾūr, ‘Atallah Mansũr and many others who opened their hearts and homes to me and to my family during our sojourn in Natzerat Illit and after.

Most of the people mentioned and quoted in the book appear under pseudonyms. The two exceptions are Raʾid Riziq and Salim Khūri, who feature centrally in chapters 8 and 9 respectively. Both found the time to have me translate and read the relevant chapters to them in early 1995, then agreed to appear in the book under their real names. I am grateful to them for this, as well as for the insights and intuitions I gained through being with and talking to them since 1988.

During the various stages of the project I was fortunate to have the intellectual support and encouragement of many friends and colleagues. My initial writing-up period in Cambridge in 1989 and 1990 was enriched by comments and support from Declan Quigley, Paul Sant-Cassia, Barbara Bodenhorn, Tanya Luhrman, and Vinay Shrivastava. Humphrey Hinton was of valuable assistance with computers and other equipment.