Road to October 7: A Brief History of Palestinian Islamism

by Erik Skare

Overview

How Islamism became a leading force in the Palestinian resistance

In Road to October 7, Erik Skare argues that Palestinian Islamism is far more complex and dynamic than generally assumed. The phenomenon has continuously developed through disputes between moderates and hardliners. These struggles have largely been settled by external drivers – intra-Palestinian competition, Israeli violence and repression, or shifts in the regional power balance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781804297889
Publisher:	Verso Books
Publication date:	05/13/2025
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.26(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Erik Skare is a historian at the University of Oslo and the author of the award-winning A History of Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Faith, Awareness, and Revolution in the Middle East. He specializes on Palestinian history with a particular focus on religion and secular politics. Skare has published extensively on Palestinian Islamism and resistance, and his work has been cited in The Washington Post, Le Monde Diplomatique, and other international news outlets.

Editorial Reviews

"This is a meticulously detailed account of Palestinian Islamism as a political phenomenon. The author addresses the formation of a number of groups under the Islamist umbrella - including Palestine Islamic Jihad and Hamas - and the interactions between them, using primary sources and an original dataset. Importantly, the author approaches the subject matter with the basic assumption that Palestinians are humans. An invaluable resource for all those concerned about Palestine."
—Dana El Kurd, author of Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine

"Erik Skare’s Brief History of Palestinian Islamism is a timely and meticulously researched work, combining insightful analysis and objective assessment. By integrating the latest developments around and after October 7 with a long-evolving historical context, this book stands as an exemplary piece of modern historiography on the Palestinian cause and its Islamist movements. It is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the colonial context in which Palestinian Islamist movements emerged and responded."
—Khaled Al Hroub, author of Hamas: Political Thought and Practice

"This deeply researched and engagingly written book makes sense of a Palestinian Islamist world far more complex than usually presented. By drawing out the shifting balance between Islamist groups and among their internal factions, Skare shows how the frustrations of Gaza and the peace process shaped Hamas in the years leading up to October 7."
—Marc Lynch, author of The New Arab Wars

"A very detailed and profound background to the role of Islamism in the Palestian struggle for liberation. A must read for anyone wishing to understand the historical and ideological contexts for the events of 7 October 2023 and the future struggles in Palestine. Impressive professional acumen presented with a clear and accessible style that will stand out in the proliferation of works that have appeared recently on the subject."
—Ilan Pappe, author of Ten Myths about Israel

"This timely, important, impressively researched, and cogently argued study provides vital historical and political context for understanding the origins of the transformative crisis that erupted from the Gaza Strip in October 2023. Erik Skare has dedicated many years to the study of these issues, and this is amply demonstrated in his Road to 7 October."
—Mouin Rabbani, Co-Editor of Jadaliyya

From the Publisher