Full Breakdown
Marc David Baer’s *Children of Abraham* Reexamines 1,400 Years of Jewish-Muslim Relations
8/16/2026, 7:12:39 AM
Book Overview and Historical Scope
Marc David Baer, a professor of history at the London School of Economics, expanded a seminar on Muslim-Jewish relations into *Children of Abraham*. The work traces interactions from roughly 610 CE, when Muhammad began preaching, to the present, covering the Middle East and Europe. Baer argues that the past is neither a seamless interfaith utopia nor a chronicle of unending hostility. He highlights recurring themes such as periods of religious and secular symbiosis, the rise and fall of elite Jews under the dhimmi protection pact, the influence of Christian powers, and the political use of myth and counter-myth.
Contemporary Gaza Conflict in the Narrative
In describing the October 7 2023 Hamas attack, Baer notes that more than 1,200 Israelis were killed, including babies, children, women and the elderly, and that over 250 hostages were taken to Gaza. He estimates that Israeli bombing in the first month of the ensuing war killed about 10,000 Palestinians, perhaps half of them children, and that after two years the death toll reached at least 67,000, with an estimated four-fifths classified as civilians. Baer’s account does not mention Hamas’s extensive tunnel network beneath Gaza, nor does it discuss the Israeli rationale for targeting structures that housed tunnel entrances. He also relies on Hamas-provided and UN-cited child-casualty figures that independent analysts have criticized for possible inflation and misclassification of ages and combatant status.
Criticism of the Book’s Treatment of Recent Events
Critics contend that, despite Baer’s claim of impartiality, his presentation lends weight to accusations of genocide and could be used to support claims of war crimes against Israel. They point to his omission of independent research questioning Gaza Health Ministry statistics and his failure to address the contextual complexities of the battlefield, arguing that these gaps create a skewed picture of the conflict.
Official Interfaith Condemnations
On the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks, UK Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and Qari Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, jointly condemned both the Hamas terrorist assaults and the ensuing war in Gaza. Their joint statement rejected anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hatred, urging unity against all forms of prejudice.
Impact and Reception
The book’s extensive 69-page bibliography demonstrates thorough research. Reviewers describe it as an invaluable guide to the complex, spectrum-spanning relationship between Jews and Muslims, suggesting that a deeper historical understanding may foster greater tolerance in contemporary discourse.
