He authored some fifteen books on France and Europe in the turmoil of the Religious Wars and on the contemporary history of Israel and of the Jewish people.

He published numerous studies in professional journals in Europe, the US and Canada, as well as political articles in the Israeli and European press.

[5] In June 2008 he wrote an article in Marianne magazine regarding the Muhammad al-Durrah incident, which involved a 12-year-old Palestinian boy who was supposedly shot dead.

He criticised the actions of Talal Abu Rahma—the Palestinian cameraman freelancing for France 2 who filmed the footage, calling him a "propagandist in the service of the Palestinian cause"—France 2, and Charles Enderlin, France 2's bureau chief in Israel; and called for an independent inquiry into the affair.

[6] Enderline replied that, given Barnavi's position as a former ambassador, a quick call to Shabak, Israel's internal security service, would have cleared up inaccuracies in his account.