Amazon removed my book discussing the Israel-Hamas war, and I am not alone in facing this ban

Last January, I had the opportunity to cover the Israel-Hamas war, immersing myself in the conflict by going into Gaza with the IDF and visiting Palestinians on the West Bank. I witnessed the devastation of Oct. 7 first-hand.

All these experiences and more are detailed in my new book titled “The Holy Land at War.” Unfortunately, Amazon has deemed the book too controversial and has banned it, citing violation of their content guidelines.

Even though this kind of narrative journalism had previously earned me a Pulitzer finalist spot for my coverage of war in Lebanon, Amazon’s censorship had no room for my work.

I tried appealing the ban multiple times, only to be met with repeated rejections without any explanation. The same fate befell an Israeli author with a book about Oct. 7 called “Testimonies.” Only when the media brought attention to the issue did Amazon reverse the ban on that book.

My employer, the Providence Journal, even printed an article about my book being blocked, leading to some social-media backlash and eventually prompting Amazon to, coincidentally, unban my book.

While I cannot be certain that the press coverage influenced Amazon’s decision, the timing was certainly interesting. Now that my book is out of Amazon book jail, I am left wondering why it was blocked in the first place.

Could it have been the graphic descriptions of a 16-year-old Jewish teen’s harrowing experience on Oct. 7? Or perhaps my depiction of the destruction caused by the IDF in Gaza, questioning the necessity of such actions?

Was it controversial to present both sides of the conflict by speaking to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza? Amazon refuses to provide any clarification on their decision.

This is not Amazon’s first time banning political books, as evidenced by similar incidents in the past. Amazon’s lack of transparency in their decision-making process is concerning, especially when it comes to matters of censorship.

For the sake of transparency and accountability, Amazon must provide specific explanations for banning books, rather than leaving authors in the dark about the reasons behind their actions. It is essential for authors and readers to have a clear understanding of why certain books are prohibited from being sold on their platform.

Mark Patinkin is a Providence Journal columnist and author of “The Holy Land at War.”