Book Description
Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
Customer Reviews:
The best of the best in Israel's history books.......2007-10-10
Anybody who wants to know about the history of the State of Israel,you should read this book.
A Comprehensive Work.......2007-06-27
It is very difficult to accurately and comprehensively analyse this work.
The fact is that Sachar go's out of his way to be even-handed, which leads to a dilemma in itself.
The truth is that one cannot be objective in a conflict where it is clear to any fair-minded and honest observer who the agressors are and always have been: The Jews peacefully returned to their ancient land, and for nearly a century the Arabs have been trying to drive them into the sea.
There are times when I am uncomfortable with the author's particularly unfair treatment of the Jewish freedom fighters- the Irgun and Lechi- whom he labels as 'terrorists'.
At the same time, he honestly appraises the history of the situation as he see's it, and does not like the malevolent 'new historians' and revisionists, like Chomsky, Finkelstein, Said, Lenni Brenner and Israel Shahak, go back and rewrite history to suit their own destructive and malicious agenda against Israel.
This is an honest appraisal, in which the author strives to be fair.
Though his commentary is not always to my liking, he sticks to the facts, except in cases like the so-called massacre of Deir Yassin, where he has accepted the 'official' version' of events, despite clear evidence that there had been no deliberate killing of Arab civillians by the Jews.
The author begins by outlining the beginnings of the Zionist movement, the work of pioneers such as Moshe Hess, Leo Pinsker, Moses Montefiore, Achad Ha'am, Theodore Herzl, Chaim Weizmann and Vladimir Jabotinsky. He describes their strugles to adapt to harsh terrain, in the land which had flourished two thousand years before, when their ancestors lived there.
He describes how sucessive waves of Jews returning to the Land of Israel, struggled to adapt, often, to the homeland that was being restored.
He writes of the purchase by the Jews from Arab absentee landlords. The book describes the revival of the Hebrew language, thanks to the efforts of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, and of the the long tradition of discrimination and dhimmni status of the Jews, in the Holy Land, and Arab countries under Islamic domination.
We learn of the origins of Communist hostility to Zionism and the Israeli people, of the originally warm attitude to Zionism by forward thinking Arab leaders such as King Feisal of Syria, and the bloody pogroms by Arabs on Jewish communities in the Land of Israel in 1920, 1921, 1929 and 1936-1939.
The truth is that a very large part of the Arab hostility to Zionism, and the returning Jews originated in the fear among the Arab aristocracy in the Holy Land, and elsewhere in neighbouring lands, that the egalitarian spirit of the Jews, the democracy and emphasis, on social justice and democracy would influence the Arab masses, and therefore threaten the powerbases of the Arab elites.
We read of Hitler's ally and Jew-hater Mufti Haj Amin el Husseini, one of the original founders of Islamic jihad against the Jewish people, and his impassioned preaching of venom and genocide against the Jews.
Much of the Arab hostility and agression towards the Jews of the then named 'Palestine' was encouraged by intense propaganda directed at the Arabs by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, this at a time when hundreds of thousands of Jewish refugees where fleeing from Nazi Germany to the Holy Land.
The book also highlights the Balfour Declaration and how the British later reneged, under Arab pressure, on the promises to the Jewish people of restoration to their ancient land.
Many of the British actively assited the Arabs against the Jews, and the British blocked the netry of hundreds of thousands of Jews, attempting to enter 'Palestine' as an escape from Hitler's infernos.
The book discusses the persecution of Jews in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen and Egypt, and their mass expulsion from these countries after they fled from the Arab states, with nothing more than the clothes on their backs from the countries they had lived in for centuries.
The book describes the miraculous survival of the Jews of Israel, during the Second World War, and their victories against overwhelming odds in the War of Independence, the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War.
The book describes how before the Six Day War, the Arabs had surrounded Israel ,and openly issued hideous threats of genocide against all the Jews of Israel, forcing Israel to fire the first shots in order to survive(after Nasser had closed the Straights of Tiran) , and of the decades of infiltrations into Israel of marauding Arab terror bands killing Israeli men, women and children, including the massacres of Jewish children at Kiryat Shmona and Ma'alot, by the terrorists of the 'Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine'. And we also read of the cowardly attack by Arab states on Israel, that started the Yom Kippur War, and the unpreparedness of Israel's leadership that was scared to strike first for fear of upsetting world opinion.
This was a tragic mistake that imperilled the Israeli nation, and led to many unnecesary deaths of Israelis.
The book also describes the other triumphs of Israel: the absorbtion of millions of Jews, the struggles of the Oriental Jews (Jews from North Africa and the Middle East)for equality, the admirable building up of Israel's welfare state, and the capture and trial of Adolf Eichmann in the early 1960's.
He also reflect on the conflicts within Israeli society and, contrary to the allegations by an earlier reviewer, focuses much on the issues of Israeli Arabs.
The trial of Eichmann brought home the horrors of the holocaust, and the lessons derived by the holocaust, by emphasizing the dangers inherent towards a Jewish minority living among a non-Jewish majority, and the need for an ingathering of Jews from all parts of the world in a homeland of their own.
During a break in the court sessions of Israel's thirteenth Independence day, David Ben-Gurion referred to the Eichmnn trial in a speech:
"Here for the first time in Jewish history, historical justice is being done by the sovereign Jewish people. For many generations it was we who suffered, who were tortured, who were killed-and were judged...for the first time, Israel is judging the killers of the Jewish people...and let us bear in mind that only the independence of Israel could create the necesary conditions for the historic act of justice".
Never again can catastrophy allowed to overtake the Jewish people, and the Jewish people subjected to genocide, especially not in their own homeland.
In a hostile world, much of which wants Israel destroyed, Israel must and will survive...with the help of the Allmighty.
Long live the State of Israel!
An excellent reference.......2005-02-14
This book does a fine job of supplying a detailed history of Israel. It is over 1000 pages, not even counting the index or the huge bibliography.
Sachar's idea is to tell us what happened and why. That does not mean taking sides. It does not mean saying if the people involved were reasonable or moral in choosing the sides they did.
I can understand this approach. We all wish that we could always view relatively current events from the perspective of those who could see which side was being greedy, which side was simply immoral, or which side was being impractical. But we can't, so Sachar simply reports what happened as best he can. And I don't see how I can ask for more than this.
In addition, the simple retelling of what happened and why tells us plenty about how wise or moral decision-makers were. Let me give one example. Sachar has a hefty section on the response to the UN Partition Resolution of November, 1947. Britain refused to gradually transfer authority to a United Nations commission, explaining that this would result in "confusion and disorder." Britain did everything possible to avoid cooperating with those in the UN or the Jewish Agency. The six UN commission members were made unwelcome. They "were soon reduced to foraging for food and drink. They accomplished nothing."
Meanwhile, the British Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin, simply regarded the Jews as enemies. As Sachar writes, Bevin claimed "that the whole Jewish 'pressure' was a gigantic racket run from America," that the Jews had stolen "half the place" (that is, half of the Mandate territory), and that "he would not be surprised if the Germans had learned their worst atrocities from the Jews." I think this ought to tell any perceptive reader plenty about Bevin.
On top of this, Sachar explains that Bevin and some important British officers were predicting an Arab military victory, and that the Arabs would have no difficulty taking over the whole country. Nowadays, some people appear to have forgotten all this and are pretending that everyone knew that the Arabs would be no match for the Jews, which is yet one more reason why we ought to read this book!
Sachar also tells us about the British swiping the entire contents of the Mandate treasury, to make sure the Jews got none of the money. At the same time, the British gave 300,000 pounds to the Supreme Moslem Council, an indirect subsidy of the Arab war effort. The British strictly enforced an embargo on Jewish immigration and Jewish weapons acquisition. Meanwhile, the British happily sold weapons to Iraq and Transjordan.
It is true that on April 1, 1948, the Jews decided to stop responding to Arab attacks in a purely defensive manner. With Jerusalem threatened, they did decide to take action to relieve the siege. But Sachar has already shown us that one reason the Jews were unable to try such a plan before then was that the British would have stopped them by force.
There is an enormous amount of information in this book. I recommend it to everyone who is interested in the topic, no matter what political views they may have.
Thorough and thought provoking.......2004-09-04
Very well-written, very informative, balanced view of the evolution and struggles that Israel has undergone.
I only wish it had an extra chapter to give similar perspective to the tumult of the past few years.
Great big book for a great little country.......2004-03-22
Besides being the heaviest book I've read in a very long time, A History of Israel, by Howard Sachar, is probably among the most useful anyone will find on that subject. Let's face it, in today's world the subject of Israel still comes up a lot, far more than one might expect for such a small country. And in an atmosphere in which fifty seven percent of people polled list Israel as the greatest threat to world peace, an educated person cannot afford to be ignorant on the matter.
Israel is a great country. And like all great countries (like most countries, actually) it has a right to exist. Its history extends back quite some time before its founding. If you doubt this, or know someone who does, than the early chapters on Zionism and Jewish migration into Palestine will be invaluable. Want to know just how the Jews came to inhabit the land? Was it a land grab? Theft? Acquisition by conquest? The answer is no, and you can get the details here.
What is Israel like? What is its culture? Economics? Daily Life? How about religion? They're Jews, but how devout are they? What power does the rabbinate have? What arts and sciences flourish, or fail to, in Israel? These are also covered, often, and in detail.
Israel has fought five major wars in its short life. Why? Who started them? How did Israel respond? Did these wars exist in a vacuum, or are they part of an ongoing antagonism against Israel from its Arab neighbors? What actually happened in the Six Day War? Just how did the occupation come to be? All of these issues are examined in detail.
Who runs Israel? What is the party structure? What do they believe? How does Israel relate to other countries, and how has this changed over the years? What about the United States? Is Israel really the fifty-first state? Again, these are all issues dealt with in detail.
The operative word here is detail. With over a thousand pages of small font text, Sachar can cover everything he wishes and go as deep as he desires. This is a history text, not a polemic essay. The point is to show Israel for what it is, avoiding the pitfalls that await anyone writing about the most controversial country every to exist. To the extant that Sachar has taken any sides, it would probably be with the Labor party and against the Likud party. As far as Israel's relations with the Arab countries go, he has stated things as they happen. It may be a surprise to many, but Israel has a really good record vis-à-vis the treatment of Arabs and they owe no excuses to anyone over their presence in the world.
So although the book is formidable and very, very long, it is clear and relevant to today's world. If you'd like to get past the shouting and name-calling and really find out about the country, this is the place to look.
Book Description
For years people have been asking for a resource that provides concise, factual information on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Myths and Facts fills this desperate need. This newly revised edition contains 25 chapters covering everything from Israel's roots to each of the wars to the events following September 11. In addition to discussions of the historical issues and current events, the book has a collection of maps and key documents, such as Resolution 242 and the Hamas Covenant. The facts are footnoted and a wide variety of sources have been consulted, from Arabic, Hebrew and English newspapers to scholarly journals and books.
Customer Reviews:
Some Can't Handle the Truth.......2007-10-10
Some cannot handle the truth presented by Bard. Many today want to revise history because the facts of the Arab-Israeli conflict are inconvenient impediments to them. Get this book and start learning the truth.
Everything you wanted to know about the mideast........2007-01-31
This is an excellent book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know the truth behind what's going on over there. Well written, and everything is easy to find with an index and clear headings. References are given for every item, and information is only taken from reputable and fact-based sources. Debunks every myth with in-depth, complete and easy to understand analysis. Indispensible for thoughtful people looking for truth.
This should be one of the main books in every library.
The best guide out there.......2006-11-05
If one wants to understand the modern deceptions of Arab propaganda, he must understand the truth about the Arab-Israeli conflict. This conflict is the foundation of the Arab lie that the world seems all too willing to buy wholesale. Those who seek an honest solution to this conflict, will first seek the truth, and then can consider realistic options. This book is the bible for those seekers of truth. For those who are already convinced, this is the bible for those who seek to defend the truth.
Put a lid on palestinian sympathizing liberals..........2006-05-25
This book is a well thought out easy reader. It's quite easy to skim through and find what you are looking for in an instant. I will admit, it's a pro-israel book, which leads skeptics to believe that it doesn't deal with all of the myths. I would suggest buying this book along with a pro-palistinean book as well, so you can see both sides of the argument and make up your own mind. I, however, use this to combat crazy hippy liberals and their terror sympthazing ways. This book is like kryponite.
HAMAS in their own words.......2006-04-02
It's always great to go back to the original sources when reading a book and I have with many of the references included here. That's why, I can't really rate this book highly enough. It provides you with a wealth of Arab, Israeli, European and American source content. The references and research are excellent and the layout of the work makes it easy to read and digest. I found the appendixes including letters from Rabin and Arafat to be interesting as well as the HAMAS charter. Considering the current Palestinian elections, it interesting to read about HAMAS and their goals from their own words and charter. For anyone researching the middle east or interested in getting to know more about the historical roots of the Palestine-Israel conflict, this is a great starting point.
Book Description
Upon its publication in 1991, Albert Hourani's masterwork was hailed as the definitive story of Arab civilization, and became both a bestseller and an instant classic. In a panoramic view encompassing twelve centuries of Arab history and culture, Hourani brilliantly illuminated the people and events that have fundamentally shaped the Arab world.
Now this seminal book is available in an expanded second edition. Noted Islamic scholar Malise Ruthven brings the story up to date from the mid-1980s, including such events as the Gulf War; civil unrest in Algeria; the change of leadership in Syria, Morocco, and Jordan; and the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001.
The terrorist attacks in the United States, ongoing crisis in Iraq, and renewed violence between Israelis and Palestinians all underscore the need for a balanced and well-informed understanding of the Arab world, and make this insightful history of the Arab peoples more important than ever.
Customer Reviews:
Great Introduction to the Arab world.......2007-09-25
The author paints the spread of the Arab language and culture in a concise and readable way. We learn how important Islam was in the dissemination of Arab culture and people. A great book.
History living today in the Arab world.......2007-04-19
his is a very detailed account of the main tribes and leaders and social movements that shaped the foundations of the Middle East as we know it today. The index is well-developed, which will make it much easier for you to find information when you need it, and have to skim and re-skim large portions to find information about a certain region or time period. For reviews of similar books, see the resources pages at civilsociety at seedwiki
Reads more like a sociology book .......2006-06-17
The review is about the 1st edition, which I read about two months ago. If the book was organized in a temporal way, in event-by-event sense, it would be clearer as a history book i.m.o., and it would be more exciting. The author breaks down the chapters into major temporal eras, but, the sections are categorized according to social, religious etc. aspects of life, not according to the events. The author is trying to cover the Arab peoples' history in a joint, parallel manner, maybe that's why it reads like a sociology book more than a history book, which would suggest a title of "... people" instead of "peoples" (I need to note that the author starts with the story of Ibn-Khaldun, who is accepted as founder of sociology). These sections on different aspects of life repeat themselves in almost all chapters since these aspects have been similar throughout long centuries.
I also could not find details about the crusaders' wars, which must be really important in Arab history. Also, the author just skims through the era of prophet Muhammed, which is the most important era of Arabic history i.m.o. The book has lots of pictures and useful maps though, and it clearly defines the geography of the regions it is talking about.
A distinguished work.......2006-02-10
Distinguished Lebanese-American historian Albert Hourani presents this book that might seem comprehensive to the Westerners but concise to the Arabs. Hourani tries to cover most of the history of the Arab peoples, but this is certainly no easy task. He ends up quickly surveying this history.
Despite its brevity, Hourani's volume is a reference work par excellence. Hourani is well read and his book is well researched. His style is inviting even if the massive number of dates and names might discourage some people who are not familiar with the Arab region.
The book is essential for all Westerners interested in the Arabs and their region. It is history 101 for all those who are willing to embark on such an endeavor. The book is also helpful to Arabs who are not familiar with their history. Overall, the book is a good read even if it might seem academic and a bit boring as you read it.
Of course readers have to keep in mind that writing history is an objective exercise that is never free of the writer's bias. In some instance, Hourani seems to give credit to one group at the favor of another. However, this is history. It is the most probable version from the perspective of its writer.
Informative but poorly organized and biased.......2006-01-01
Albert Hourani's A History of the Arab Peoples is a widely regarded general history of the Arab world. This is too bad, since as history the book is of low quality, with significant problems of organization and, where relevant to Hourani's apparent biases, factual accuracy. It does have its redeeming elements, but on the whole is for a variety of reasons not a reliable source as a general history of the Arab world, especially for the beginner.
Being the author of a general history of the Arab world myself, before I explain why I evaluate the book negatively I would like to suggest some alternatives, lest I be accused of attacking a rival publication out of self-interest. Philip K. Hitti's The History of the Arabs is a very detailed history which runs from pre-Islamic times to the 19th century. Arthur Goldschmidt's Concise History of the Middle East covers Turkey, Iran and Israel as well as the Arab world and is well-organized for beginners. It was the first general history of the Middle East I read as an undergraduate. Bernard Lewis' The Middle East focuses more on concepts and the flow of history but is also appropriate for those without a strong background in the region.
This book was first published in 1991. This review is based on the 1992 paperback version by Warner Books.
The initial weakness of this book begins with the very first chapter; although containing 458 pages of main text, Hourani's history devotes a mere seven pages to the pre-Islamic period. This is pretty amazing, for anyone familiar with that period, since Arab history prior to Islam is roughly as long as Arab history after it. Exactly how far back Arab peoples go in history is a matter of dispute, but certainly there were people one could call "Arabians" as far back as the beginning of the first mellinnium BC, or 1,600 years prior to Muhammad. The evidence is sporadic for sure, and no writer would give it equal prominence with later times, but seven pages is pretty paltry.
One might suspect an Islamic bias here, but the problem continues in the key early periods of Islam. The life of Muhammad and his immediate successors who established the basis for the Muslim world, spanning about a half century from Muhammad's first vision to the death of his son-in-law and successor Ali, get only 11 pages. The first Arab empire, the Umayyads (661-950), gets seven pages, and the Abbasid Empire (750-circa. 945), which is usually thought of as the "Golden Age of Islam," gets only six. This means 37 pages for the first 2,000 years of Arab history, including its framing epoch, and over 400 pages for the next 1,000. This would leave the uninitiated reader entirely without much sense of proportion.
What makes this book highly unrecommended for the beginner is its weak sense of organization. The middle time period between the collapse of Abbasid authority - roughly AD 950 - and the ascendance of the Ottoman Empire over the Arab world in 1517 is intrinsically a difficult time period to understand and a more difficult one on which to write a history. This is due to the fact that rather than there being one dominant power or a few powerful states, there is instead a multiplicity of dynasties with genuine authority in some areas not extending beyond the town level with a multifarious mixture of Sunni and Shia, Arab, Persian and Turkic ruling groups, not to mention the Latin states. Hourani makes no serious attempt to help the reader keep all of it straight by moving from a chronological approach prior to 950 to a topical one. There are ten chapters covering this time period and the social history of part of the previous two periods (the Umayyads and the Abbasids). There is one chapter which discusses the major power struggles of the time. If you want to understand the relative historical roles of the Buyids, the Fatimids, the Zengids, the Ayyubids, the Mamluks and their contemporaries, read something else.
It is within these ten chapters that this book contains its major strength - its "social history," or its description of the development of the Arab world. In fact I cited Hourani on the social history sections of my own book. In this regard, Hourani really is better than the alternatives. Over 200 pages of the book is devoted to detailing various aspects of how the Arab world came to be prior to the Ottomans. So for those who have already read a general history of the Middle East or the Arab world and want a more specialized knowledge, these chapters are quite useful.
I have several objections to how this book handles a variety of issues of current interest. This book was written during a time period when there was a great emphasis on negating certain negative images of Arabs and Muslims, to the point of deemphasizing any aspect of the Arab world which might be interpreted negatively. The word "jihad" doesn't even have an entry in the index, although it is used, or perhaps, misused. On page 247, Hourani describes a traditional view stipulating that the ruler has an obligation "to pursue jihad by maintaining the strength of the kingdom's defense..." This gives a misimpression, because legally jihad has two military meanings - the defense of Muslim lands and the Muslim community's collective obligation to spread Islam through conquest. Although jihad has a spiritual as well as martial application, its use is overwhelmingly in the military context, and while Muhammad's battles probably could be described as defensive, the vast majority of military actions between that time and the 19th century involved offensive operations (the Christian counter-offensives known as the Crusades being a major exception).
More broadly, the single most influential Islamist movement of the modern age, the Wahhabis, get only a few scattered mentions, and there is no real indication of the wave of extremism which by 1991 had been felt for some time. The primary non-Islamist ideological influence, Marxism, is discussed of course, but the influence of Nazism during the 1930s and 1940s is left out. Nazi Germany is mentioned once in passing, and in the same paragraph on page 331 Palestinian leader Amin Husseini is mentioned, but it isn't mentioned that he was a strong supporter of Nazis, that he moved to Germany during the Second World War and played an active role in the Holocaust, or that despite this he was made leader of the Palestinian cause by the nascent Arab League after the war.
Hourani's account of the 1967 is incredibly inaccurate, giving the impression that Egypt engaged in some bluster and then Israel started the war. He mentions Nasser's demand that the UN clear out of the Suez Canal zone, and includes the defense pact with Jordan, but omits a key fact - the mobilization of Egyptian forces in the Sinai. Once Egypt did this, Israel had no choice but to attack, because of its small population its economy could not handle an extended mobilization, while Egypt could. Hourani also doesn't mention the statements by Arab leaders to the effect that all Jews would be wiped out in the coming war.
On the whole, this is a useful book if one already has a framework understanding of Arab history and if one understands the slant that is being presented on issues of contemporary concern. Otherwise, I do not recommend buying it.
Book Description
This classic textbook, widely used for over two decades, constructs a history of ancient Israel and Judah through a thorough investigation of epigraphical, archaeological, and biblical sources. Approaching biblical history as history, Miller and Hayes examine the political and economic factors that give context to the Israelite monarchy's actions and the biblical writers' accounts. Now updated with the latest research and critical discoveries, including the Tell Dan Inscription, and considering the lively debate surrounding the reliability of biblical accounts, Miller and Hayes's judicious and evenhanded portrayal gives detailed attention to the nature, strengths, and limitations of various forms of evidence for understanding Israel's origins and early history. The new edition also includes thirty-four new maps, helpful notes, and numerous charts and photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Horrid Logic.......2007-04-26
Wow, this book is a nearly worthless except for that at least the authors acknowledge that the Bible probably contains historical events. It's amazing how seemingly wise men put out garbage like this. An example of the utter stupidity for example is that one of the authors claims that Samuel didn't really do all the things that were claimed of him because he was described as doing different things. Why does he think that? But he thinks Samuel couldn't have been both a prophet and "king-maker" he says. Uh... CUZ? Kinda stands to reason that if a person is a prophet then yeah, they are more likely to have the standing to king someone, not if there are just some ordinary guy. Instead he claims that Samuel was probably a cult leader. LOL.
No wait they are right, God doesn't have the ability to make someone a prophet plus allow them to have any other significant roles like kinging someone one time because it's just too hard for the creator and sustainer of the universe to get someone to be someone great and do something amazing. Not.
This is preschooler dribble hoping for lobster and wine elbow rubbing with other God-haters. Jesus is worth more than paper money, a few hundred lobsters, and a cellar full of wine you will never finish off.
Very Good Standard Book.......2006-12-19
It's true that the OT is often the only source for the early history of Israel and Judah, but Miller and Hayes tactfully duck the question of the historicity of the many legendary early events, and begin where they can start to tie the OT account to external and archaeological sources. I found this book to be a good introduction to the topic and a useful reference to have on the shelf.
has little to add to the old testament.......2002-10-20
This is a great book, very readable and scholarly. There exists one problem though: this book has practically nothing to add to what is written, just as clearly and just as easily accessible, in the old testament.
I read this book seeking to find a modern perspective on the old testament narrative, which would include all the findings of modern archeology and other sciences. What I found is that modern scholarship has precious little to add to what is already set down in the bible because the OT remains, with very few and mostly modest exceptions, our only source for this period. This is not the fault of the authors, of course, who are very noteworthy scholars. A few bits of history are scattered throughout the book which are not obvious from a reading of the bible, but the vast majority is just summary and interpretation (not usually very revealing) of the OT.
It goes without saying that if you are interested in the history of this period and have not read the bible, open the good book to Genesis 1 and start reading.
A Nice Introduction to Ancient Israel.......2000-06-27
J. Maxwell Miller and John H. Hayes' A History of Ancient Israel and Judah provides a solid introduction to the methods and problems of studying the development of the kingdoms that came to be known as Israel and Judah. The book deals with events from the time of Israel's origins (the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages) to the work of Ezra and Nehemiah (the fifth and fourth centuries BCE). On the whole, A History is more cautious with the biblical texts than other histories of ancient Israel, such as John Bright's A History of Israel. Miller and Hayes spend less time offering guesses about the more speculative aspects of Israel's history, such as the patriarchs and exodus, and concentrate their efforts on the later period (tenth to fifth centuries BCE) for which conclusions are more certain. From its beginning, this study is very much set within the geographical, political, economic, and religious context of the ancient Near East and Egypt as a whole. Perhaps the most attractive feature of this work is the inclusion of both photographs and fairly complete translations of extra-biblical documents pertinent to various stages of Israel's history. A History is divided into chronological segments, and the authors proceed by summarizing the biblical texts germane to the time period, critically examining these accounts along with extra-biblical and archaeological evidence, and then drawing conclusions. If the book has a major weakness, it is the absence of either footnotes or endnotes, but the authors provide a sizable topical bibliography at the conclusion of the book, and overall, A History of Ancient Israel and Judah is sound, readable scholarship.
Amazon.com
The Mossad was formed in 1951 to coordinate the intelligence-gathering efforts of the still-young nation of Israel. In the nearly half century since, it has become a force to be reckoned with, boasting an impressive track record of counterterrorist actions and assassinations. Gideon's Spies is loaded with anecdotes of their greatest exploits (and a few colossal blunders). Among the most interesting sections are the suggestions that Mossad agents killed media tycoon Robert Maxwell in 1991, that the agency's attempted recruitment of Henri Paul, the driver of Princess Diana's car that fateful night, may have caused sufficient emotional distress to be a contributing factor in the accident, and that Mossad operatives in America had tapes of the phone-sex conversations between President Bill Clinton and his lover Monica Lewinsky. There's also some extensive material on the links between the Israelis and the Vatican, including the Mossad's role in the investigation into the attempted 1981 assassination of Pope John Paul II and the agency's constant battles against the PLO. An interesting nonfiction read for fans of international spy thrillers.
Book Description
Created in 1951 to ensure the future of an embattled Israel, the Mossad has been responsible for the most audacious and thrilling feats of espionage, counterterrorism, and assassination ever ventured. Gordon Thomas's 1999 publication of Gideon's Spies, resulting from closed-door interviews with Mossad agents, informants, and spymasters as well as from classified documents and top-secret sources, revealed previously untold truths about the Israeli intelligence agency. And now, in this edition, Thomas updates his classic text and shows the Mossad as it truly is: brilliant, ruthless, and flawed, but ultimately awesome.Three all-new chapters cover topics including:- How the Mossad planned to assassinate Saddam Hussein- Saddam's food-testing ritual, and the surprising "source" within his government- China's U.S.-based front-companies, and its relationship with bin Laden- Mossad's untold role in the events before and after 9/11- Mossad and revelations about Princess Diana's death- The disappearance of the millions transferred from the Vatican Bank to the Polish Solidarity movement- How extremists recruit suicide bombers, including women- Mossad's untold role in the Iraq war and the hunts for Saddam and bin Laden- Saddam's plans for trial
Customer Reviews:
Read the book and annoy your friends daily with the astonishing stories........2007-07-12
It is very difficult not to call this book astonishing, but, as with any book on intelligence services, it earns itself a caveat. The problem with reading anything but an academic book on intelligence is that there is no way to verify any of the stories and separate fact from fiction, or more appropriately, myth. The stories in 'Gidion's Spies' could just as easily have been drawn out a script from James Bond as real life intelligence work. But the fact remains that we just don't know what goes on in the shadows of international relations. Having said that the detail and sources in the book gives these stories a frightening plausibility.
It is a macabre history of the 'self-proclaimed' most feared intelligence agency in the world. For sheer entertainment value 'Gideon's Spies' is highly recommendable and it will have you annoying your friends and colleagues on a daily basis with last nights 20 pages before you nodded off. That's if you can put the book down in the first place.
informing.......2006-07-24
I liked this book. I saw it some time ago in B&N and could not put it down. It does go into the give and take involved in espionage and shows that there is a gray line of right and wrong in fighting for your country. I myself both liked and disliked what was done by mossad. I do not know what history will say about the mossad but they have served a purpose. If you like stories about spying and what goes on behind the scenes then buy this book. It is clear, interesting and fun.
Interesting, but could be better........2006-05-31
Gordon Thomas's " Gideon's Spies : The Secret History of the Mossad " is a must read for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of Israel's intelligence service agency Mossad, and its working. I found the details and engrossing descriptions of the events to be extremely enlightening. Mossad, (formed in 1949 by the then prime minister of Israel - David Ben-Gurion) proved that it could go to any length in saving the interests of Israel. Events described in this book go from killing of Princess Dianna to attempted assassination of Pope. Because the events described in the book are from all over the globe, sometimes it makes you think that the book has nothing to do with Mossad. At the same time, those incidents are somewhere related (even remotely) with Mossad.
That being said, this is a very readable book. It's not light reading, but once you start, make a pot of coffee because you won't want to put it down, not before finishing it.
For me, this was a can't-put-it-down read.
A "Grassy Knoll" approach to history.......2006-02-21
I purchased Thomas' book with high hopes that it would be a reasoned, intelligent review of the history of Mossad, one of the world's most effective intelligence services, along the lines of Israel's Secret War's.
Sadly, such was not the case. Thomas is a conspiracy theorist who relies on innuendo and rumor to justify mindless theories and meaningless concepts, all in lieu of research and facts to tell what is an incredible story on its own. From little things, like referring to the Echelon surveillance system operated by the National Security Agency as monitoring every conversation between every individual virtually anywhere in the world (Echelon monitors electronic conversations, not every possible conversation) to secondhand references to the late William Casey, the then-director of the CIA, as suggesting that Mossad supplied arms to Hezbollah in the early 1980's when Israel invaded Lebanon, Thomas studiously avoids anything approaching professionalism or reasoned analysis.
Mossad is a rich topic for investigation, and there are excellent treatments on the subject. Thomas, unfortunately, is an unprofessional, sloppy and pathetic writer whose book demeans its subject.
Random bits of information.......2006-01-27
This book reminds me of the ramblings of a conspiracy theorist. Mr Thomas has a terrible tendancy of starting stories showing operatives in the present (which is totally uninteresting) then flashing back to the past. Often the flashbacks never revert to the present, or have another flashback within a flashback.
I am no expert on Israeli intelligence activities, but when an author falsly reports a simple fact "Israel has developed its own over-the-horizon accuracy for three German-build nuclear-powered submarines it had bought" (Germany doesn't have nuclear powered submarines, and Israel certainly doesn't have them) I begin to question his more controvertial theories and "facts."
Amazon.com
The tortured history of Afghanistan is illuminatingly outlined by Barnett S. Rubin, an American academic and human rights monitor in the region. In the 19th century, the country successfully resisted colonial rule, becoming a buffer between the imperial superpowers, Britain and Russia. That dangerous position resulted in an isolation that held back modernization and the emergence of a modern central government. In this century, the Soviet Union and the United States maintained the status quo up until the early seventies, when a communist coup heralded massive outside intervention. The country was ripe for a disastrous fragmentation. This scholarly study is complemented by a sequel: The Search for Peace in Afghanistan.
Book Description
This monumental book examines Afghan society in conflict, from the 1978 communist coup to the fall of Najibullah, the last Soviet-installed president, in 1992. This edition, newly revised by the author, reflects developments since then and includes material on the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. It is a book that now seems remarkably prescient. Drawing on two decades of research, Barnett R. Rubin, a leading expert on Afghanistan, provides a fascinating account of the nature of the old regime, the rise and fall of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan, and the troubled Mujahidin resistance. He relates all these phenomena to international actors, showing how the interaction of U.S. policy and Pakistani and Saudi Arabian interests has helped to create the challenges of today. Rubin puts into context the continuing turmoil in Afghanistan and offers readers a coherent historical explanation for the country's social and political fragmentation.
Customer Reviews:
The Fragmentation of Afghanistan: State Formation and Collapse in the International System.......2005-07-08
This book is excellent. It describes in great detail how Great Britain, Russia, Th U.S. and now Pakistan have contributed to the destruction of the basic fiber of the country and the reasons this happened.
Fragmentation of Afganistan.......2005-07-06
I received two copiesof book and returned one. I did enjoy the book very much.
very detailed and well researched, but a tough read.......2004-03-01
Barry Rubin's account of the fragmentation of Afghanistan and the failure of the state is a very detailed in-depth account of the different parties involved, and the cobweb of international and national actors. I especially appreciated the new post September 11 preface to the second edition. It is a great book for the academic or those looking for a serious book on Afghanistan, however I would not recommend it for someone with little knowledge of the region and its and religous political struggles. Without an understanding of the region, the reader is not likely to get past the first chapter.
Solid academic political analysis.......2001-07-05
Afghanistan, in the perceptions of many, is a small, seemingly inconsequential country. It has experienced encroachment from the Soviets, Pakistanis, Persians, Mughals, Mongols, Ottoman Turks and has been on the receiving end of a mixed positive and negative American presence. The people of Afghanistan have endured governmental incompetence, nepotism, torture, murder, political Islam, political negligence, state formation and collapse, ethnic and tribal strife and civil war. Afghanistan has been affected by all major international economic and political crises and as Rubin suggests is "The Mirror of the World" as the first chapter is titled.
Barnett Rubin clearly knows his subject and gives the reader a masterful analysis of the social and political realities of Afghanistan and how those played out in the (many times lack of) governance of the country. The analysis includes the interrelationships and rivalries of tribes, the communist party, political elites, and fundamentalist Islamic clerics and their supporters. Rubin also discusses the origins as well as the failures of the state system to administer to even a small portion of the citizens. The state, unable to withstand the factional vying for power of those groups as well as those more on the margin of Afghan politics, collapsed.
There was little if any legitimacy to the state in much of recent Afghan history. In fact, most of the funding for social programs, infrastructure, as well as government employee paychecks were from international aid. There was exceedingly little investment in industry, which prevented the Afghans from repayment of loans. The feudal relations of tribes and khans many times held strong even through short sighted goverment incursions and policies enacted to assert its own hegemony. The reasons for the collapse of the Afghan government become quite clear when one reads such a compelling account of political failure.
Soviet control and manipulations are treated comprehensively and are well documented.
Rubin presents a thorough, nuanced, very well researched piece of sholarship and deserves much credit for teaching us the intricacies of state and political policy formation.
The one negative element I see is that it can be dry. However, that is usually a quality assigned by non-academics to academic writing. Although this is not light reading it should be clear that the book is highly informative.
Solid academic political analysis.......2001-07-05
Afghanistan, in the perceptions of many, is a small, seemingly inconsequential country. It has experienced encroachment from the Soviets, Pakistanis, Persians, Mughals, Mongols, Ottoman Turks and has been on the receiving end of a mixed positive and negative American presence. The people of Afghanistan have endured governmental incompetence, nepotism, torture, murder, political Islam, political negligence, state formation and collapse, ethnic and tribal strife and civil war. Afghanistan has been affected by all major international economic and political crises and as Rubin suggests is "The Mirror of the World" as the first chapter is titled.
Barnett Rubin clearly knows his subject and gives the reader a masterful analysis of the social and political realities of Afghanistan and how those played out in the (many times lack of) governance of the country. The analysis includes the interrelationships and rivalries of tribes, the communist party, political elites, and fundamentalist Islamic clerics and their supporters. Rubin also discusses the origins as well as the failures of the state system to administer to even a small portion of the citizens. The state, unable to withstand the factional vying for power of those groups as well as those more on the margin of Afghan politics, collapsed.
There was little if any legitimacy to the state in much of recent Afghan history. In fact, most officials were appointed by someone who simply forced his way into power. Another major problem for the political elites (and ultimately the citizens) was that most of the funding for social programs, infrastructure, as well as government employee paychecks were from international aid. There was exceedingly little investment of that aid in industry, which prevented the Afghans from repayment of loans and achieving economic and political independence.
The feudal relations of tribes and khans many times held strong even through short sighted goverment incursions and policies enacted to assert its own hegemony. The reasons for the collapse of the Afghan government become quite clear when one reads such a compelling account of political and economic failure.
Soviet control and manipulations are treated comprehensively and are well documented.
Rubin presents a thorough, nuanced, very well researched piece of sholarship and deserves much credit for teaching us the intricacies of state and political policy formation.
The one negative element I see is that it can be dry. However, that is usually a quality assigned by non-academics to academic writing. Although this is not light reading it should be clear that the book is highly informative.
Book Description
Now updated—the book that takes readers to Baghdad and beyond.
From the almost daily terrorist incidents, to difficulties encountered by the U.S. and coalition forces, to the changeover of power and sovereignty, todayÂ's readers are fascinated by this war- torn country and its people. In this new edition, readers will find dramatic new photos and detailed maps, and new chapters on the invasion and subsequent military occupation, internal struggles and terrorism activity, ongoing controversies concerning weapons of mass, and much, much more.
• The only popular reference designed to give you a comprehensive yet accessible guide to Iraq
• New dramatic photos of combat, political upheaval, and significant events
Customer Reviews:
Neocon's dream book.......2007-06-21
I sure hope the second edition is a bit more objective in its prescriptions for what to do in there, because the first edition reads like a neocon's propaganda ploy for invading the place. Maybe that's why Dubya did it; he's a complete idiot and this book is all he read about the place. It is strong on the ancient history and early 20th century history, but the book turns into hagiography when it gets to Saddam Hussein and all his attempts to obtain WMD. After the Gulf war with all the inspections he was subjected to , all the surveillance, the UN checks, the economic sanctions, is it really logical to believe he'd be able to run a weapons program of the size Dubya, Condi, Dick, Wolfie, and the rest of the vulcans insisted he had? Sorry, but it just fails the laugh test, especially since it would have been so easy even at that time to verify that those aluminum tubes were not suited for centrifuges, that yellowcake had not been obtained at all let alone from Niger, that Saddam had no sympathy for or ties with Al Qaeda, and there was no meeting between Mohammed Atta and Iraqi intelligence agents in Prague or anywhere else.
Excellent! I Now Understand Iraq Better! .......2006-08-14
This book is a very comprehensive description of Iraq. Iraq shouldn't be a country and probably will never be from my current understanding. The British formed the country for their own convience and to control the Middle East so they could keep oil flowing. When they lost strength, the United States jumped in, again to keep oil flowing. The Americans have copied just about every mistake the British ever made, we just haven't pulled out yet. What a mess and I don't think anyone can get around the fact that the Kurds need a country. Very interesting book and it gave me room to understand and think!
Great for the total beginner.......2006-08-11
I read the 2002 edition from the library which was obviously before the invasion and subsequent capture of Saddam Hussein. I found this a great book for a total novice. It explains the progress of events in Iraq in very simple terms and takes time to repeat the main points of interest many times, which I found useful in such a complex topic. Just because it presents the concepts in a simple manner does not mean it is simplistic - scholars of the subject might find it basic but I think even most well educated westerners would learn a lot from this text. The most important point for me was that it was very readable. My only criticism was that there were no way near enough maps and those that were in the book were pretty badly drawn and without detail. I would have liked many more maps, especially showing location of troops during the various battles, relationship of the arab states, location of shiite/sunni strongholds, arab/persian, kurdish strongholds. Overall well worth the effort of reading.
I actually enjoyed the fact that this was written before the US invasion since it gave a great before the fact perspective on the situation and wasn't tainted by our the current sorry situation we all find ourselves in.
A little imperfect in his moral conclusions about Saddam.......2005-04-15
I"m not sure why the book's author feels that stopping Saddam Hussein back in 2003 was anything less than a good thing. The former Iraqi leader got a million Iraqis and Iranians killed in the war between the two nations from 1980 to 1988, Saddam killed thousands of ethnic Kurds in Iraq and robbed those Kurds he didn't kill of almost any rights, caused 25% of Iraqi kids to starve (a Unicef report made in 2002 showed this), took over the nation Kuwait to pay off war debts, afer being expelled from there in the deadly Desert Storm he tried to take over again in 94, etc. What did the guy have to do before we decided he had to be taken out of power---destroy half of Japan? Tragert you should know better than almost anyone else that Saddam was worse for his own Iraqi than the coalition has ever been.
Proofreaders needed; or As the Chalkboard Screeches.......2003-04-04
Much if not most of this book is helpful and provides a much needed historical review and provides a context for today's events. Mr. Tragert's handling of ancient history is adequate, but nothing a good ten minutes in an encyclopedia could not equal. His treatment of the Epic of Gilgamesh is mercifully short and he touches lightly upon the similarities between it and the Bible without falling into the trap of claiming this as proof that the Old Testament redactors borrowed this legendary material to include in their own cosmology.
I would have rated his book higher except for one glaring mistake which set my teeth on edge which is the reaction I get when someone scratches a chalkboard with their fingernails over and over again. On page 44 he says, "Like the Greeks who followed them, the Sumerian religions were pantheistic and their gods were anthropomorphic." Feeling like an idiot, I consulted another annoying feature of this book which are the little boxes that appear throughout the text with little "nuggets" of information. This one was "Desert Diction" and defined pantheism as, "...{The} belief in a group of gods where each represents a specific human action, or emotion, or a physical element, such as one for the sun, and one for the moon." Let me guess, a group of gods would be a pantheon (Greek pan means all; theos means god or gods), thus pantheon would mean all of the gods. I may be an idiot, but I am not in kindergarten. What this informational "nugget" has done is define polytheism (poly=many + theoi=gods) not pantheism. Pantheism means all is god; it equates god with the cosmos.
I do have to give Tragert credit in that he misdefines pantheism consistently throughout the book. But if his defintion is correct, then all of my dictionaries are wrong, not to mention most if not all of the authors who have written on the subject like C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Dorothy Sayers, Aldous Huxley, etc...or I am really a Complete Idiot.
While this may seem to be a small thing, it is disconcerting nonetheless,and raises the possibility of other not quite so obvious errors and misdefintions that might slip by unnoticed. Despite these caveats and the annoying way it is set up, this Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Iraq is worth reading and is a useful tool.
Book Description
This book provides a fresh, exciting, and reader-friendly study of the Ancient Egyptian history, which has suffered and continues to suffer from ingrained prejudices. The book, therefore, brings to light:
A. Historical events that have been ignored by many Egyptologists because of the risk of contradicting popular religions.
Scholars have been unsuccessfully looking for historical evidence to support the biblical accounts of events and their major characters.
This book provides the evidence that these scholars continue to search in the wrong country and the wrong eras.
The facts presented in this book are simple, straightforward and stunning, showing that the major characters in the Bible were actually Egyptian Pharaohs, and not the enemies of Egypt.
B. The advanced level of the Ancient Egyptian civilization, such as:
- The high status of women, which has not been equalled throughout history, even in present times.
- The Egyptian spiritual roots of George Washington, Napoleon and Mozart. All these famous people were masons, whose rites, knowledge, and traditions originated in Ancient Egypt.
- The Ancient Egyptian calendar - the most accurate ever--past and present.
- Their medical knowledge about determining the sex of the unborn child.
- Their knowledge and use of the different types of antibiotics.
- Their superior medicine. A single prescription included as many as 35 different ingredients.
- Their advanced knowledge in science, technology, metals and industry.
Download Description
This book reveals many aspects of the Ancient Egyptian civilization in 46 chapters, with interesting topics such as: deities, the role of the Pharaoh, temples, tombs, pyramids, Sphinx, music, literature, architecture, international trade, calendar, medicine, sciences, industries, art, Exodus, and much, much more.
Customer Reviews:
Great for Beginners.......2002-01-05
I found this book great for beginners. It provides a NON-Euro centric view of Egypt/Kemet. Too many books on Kemet written my those with religious agendas. Moustafa does a good job of informing the reader about Kemet in a quick, easy to read format. I do wish he had more information on Pre-Dynastic Kemet, but that info is hard to come by. His research on origins of David, Solomon, Moses, Jesus and the hoax called Exodus actually jives with much of my research on these mythical characters. Overall, the book shows Kemet in a different light than the most of us have been told by the Biblical stories. If one is more advanced in their research on Kemet - this book is not for you. Hotep!
Truth in Labeling.......2001-12-04
Refreshing to see a book properly labeled, though it also should have included "sophomoric", "illogical", "unfounded" and "neurotic, Anti-West fantasy". All the editorial reviews can only have been written by the author himself or at his direction, since they do nothing but quote from the book, or press materials released with the book.
No rational person, with any hint of logical insight coupled with the slightest level of historical knowledge would ever be so reckless as to suggest that the pre-Ahab characters of the Old Testament were Egyptian, much less pharaohs. Indeed, the author's first task in such an assertion must now-a-days actually be to provide ANY physical evidence that those ancient Hebrews were something other than the literary tools of (Omrite) Judean political agenda!
If you want real Egyptian history instead of fabrication, get "Ancient Egypt" (David Silverman, ed.) and for facts about biblical connectivity get "Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times" by Donald Redford.
"E" is for Evidence.......2001-08-15
This book is a complete(and yet, somehow revolutionary)reference to the true daily lives of the ancient Egyptians. What I mean when I say "revolutionary" is. . .well, it strays away from the beliefs of some historians and Egyptologists, then adds evidence which points out that what the book describes is true. But it compares history with religion at one point and it was quite touchy for me there, which is why I give this otherwise wonderful book but three stars.
Egypt Comes Alive..........2001-02-14
I came to read ths book, after a constant FEELING that what we take for granted as the truth about Ancient Egypt, is actually FAR from it.
It is fair to say that Moustafa has brought to Life the REAL Egypt. He has plenty of facts and figures to prove his belief too. What is more, he is a writer of BRILLIANT CLARITY, who turns the often stuffy subject of History into a RIVETING read.
I wish that this book could go on to great success, as it is a story that would(and should) REVOLUTIONISE our ideas of the Past.
Lest you think, I am easily impressed. It is worth noting that on occasion I do disagree with the Author. Particularly in his deduction that ATLANTIS did not provide the seeds of the Civilization we know as Ancient Egypt.
All in all however, here is a FIRST-RATE book, that will challenge your pre-conceptions, and force you to look again at one of the Great Mysteries...
Listen to the reader from Earth.......2000-12-18
Gadalla is to history what Goebbels was to history. This mess must have been self-published (I gather that's true, based on his website), and a read of its pages should give hope to any aspiring author. If this stuff made it into print, nearly anything can.
Impressionable readers will no doubt like it, in the same way that impressionable readers (at first) liked Von Danniken's "Chariots of the Gods".
If you enjoy ancient history and chronology revisions, get "Ages in Chaos" or "Oedipus and Akhenaten" by Immanuel Velikovsky, David Rohl's "Pharaohs and Kings", or Peter James' "Centuries of Darkness".
Book Description
Uncivil War is a provocative study of the intellectuals who confronted the loss of France's most prized overseas possession: colonial Algeria. Tracing the intellectual history of one of the most violent and pivotal wars of European decolonization, James D. Le Sueur illustrates how key figures such as Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Germaine Tillion, Jacques Soustelle, Raymond Aron, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Albert Memmi, Frantz Fanon, Mouloud Feraoun, Jean Amrouche, and Pierre Bourdieu agonized over the "Algerian question." As Le Sueur argues, these individuals and others forged new notions of the nation and nationalism, giving rise to a politics of identity that continues to influence debate around the world. This edition features an important new chapter on the intellectual responses to the recent torture debates in France, the civil war in Algeria, and terrorism since September 11. James D. Le Sueur is an associate professor of history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is the editor of Mouloud Feraoun's Journal, 1955-1962: Reflections on the French-Algerian War (available in a Bison Books edition) and The Decolonization Reader and The Decolonization Sourcebook. He contributed new material to Ben Abro's Assassination! July 14 and Henri Alleg's The Question, both available in Bison Books editions.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT INTELLECTUAL READ!.......2001-05-30
This book is based, in large part, on private and never before seen archives of key public intellectuals during the decolonization of Algeria. Scholars who focus on decoloniztion and post-colonial studies will find this work provocative and enlightening, with far-reaching implications for today's world. Some notable characteristics of the book include the following: this is the first book to really look at conversations between French and Algerian intellectuals during decolonization; also, Pierre Bourdieu wrote a very moving forward about his relationship with Mouloud Feraoun before Feraoun was assassinated by the OAS; the chapter on Camus is fascinating and relies largely on his private papers; Le Sueur's critical analysis of the concept of the "Other" and its use by various intellectuals provides a refreshing and critical perspective. This book makes a unique contribution to fields of study such as history, anthropology, sociology, post-colonial studies, education, cultural studies, decolonization studies, and African studies. It's definitely a great read!
Book Description
In this startling new interpretation of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Bernard Wasserstein focuses on largely neglected forces—demographic, economic, and social—that have shaped the politics of the region but have also made the two societies so interdependent that they must make peace in order to survive.
"Readers who care about the [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict should not overlook Bernard Wasserstein’s lucid attempt to look at it from some unusual angles. . . . A helpful and original introduction to the conflict."—Warren Bass, Washington Post Book World
"Reasoned and balanced, [this book] makes a compelling case that demographic, socio-economic, environmental, and territorial imperatives must eventually bring Israelis and Palestinians to a peaceful resolution."—Eric Silver, Jewish Chronicle
"In this short and elegant essay, [Wasserstein] slips in a good deal of history. . . . The rationality of the arguments is impressive."—David Pryce-Jones, Sunday Times (London)
"Wasserstein’s readable text is a solid primer on Israelis and Palestinians for experts and neophytes, characterized by a hardheaded realism that is fair to both sides."—Foreign Affairs
Customer Reviews:
Innovative Treatment of a Divisive Issue.......2005-07-18
If you read readers' reviews on any book concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict, you'll notice the same names blasting every book that does not come out resolutely in favor of Israel. Not surprisingly, these folks did not like this book by Bernard Wasserstein, either. That's really too bad because this author really has put together an innovative, articulate analysis based on excellent data (taken from all sorts of sources). He is not an ideologue or political pundit, but a real historian.
If you are looking to play the blame game, this is not the book for you; no side is without fault in Wasserstein's analysis. (The same is true for his other recent work, DIVIDED JERUSALEM.) Certainly, he leans more to the Avi Shlaim camp than Michael Oren's--both outstanding Israeli historians--but even if you disagree with this more critical take on Israel it is worth reading THIS book because of its original demographic focus.
I agree with another reviewer that this book is not for the Middle East novice--it is important to have a good grasp of the history of Israel and Palestine (and many related topics) before you dive into this thematic approach.
I particularly liked the optimism of the author's conclusions, which seem to defy all the naysayers--that the two sides are really not all that far apart from a negotiated settlement if in fact moderates can prevail on both sides.
Has little to do with reality.......2005-03-16
I looked hard for something in this book that I could praise. I didn't find anything.
Now, someone could say that the Jews in Israel are outnumbered by folks who want to remove their rights, steal their land, and kill them. And whether this is true or false, they could then make some recommendations to both sides. They could tell the Jews to flee, to sell their land, to find new allies, to get old allies to help, to fight, to convert, to roll over and die, to ally themselves with their enemies, or whatever. And they could tell the Arabs that Israel is a small country with few resources, and that smashing it is a big crime.
This book does nothing of the sort. Instead, it seems to make the absurd and false point that Israel is by nature unable to exist honestly, and ought to give away its excess land!
Now, let's reason together. I think the Arabs who are attacking Israel are not a nation. For the sake of argument, let us say that I am right or wrong. We will look at both cases. Let us imagine that there is to be peace, and let us see what happens to poor little Israel if peace and justice should prevail.
Well, if the Arabs of the region are not really a nation, they may have plenty of kids. But when Jews and Arabs buy and sell homes in the region, Jews will be willing to pay far more than Arabs. No matter how many kids the Arabs have, the Jews will win the demographic battle. Even if there are hundreds of millions of Arabs, they will simply buy elsewhere, and the Jews will remain a majority in Israel. After all, there are already over five million Jews in Israel. There are even more in the Diaspora, many of whom may regard Israel as more attractive than ever if there is peace there. And Jews have at least as much money per capita as the average. They'll easily buy up much of the ten thousand square miles in the region. Maybe more.
So there is no demographic reason for the Jews to give up trying to live in Asia. Perhaps there is a military reason.
Oh, but wait! What if I am wrong? What if the "whole world" is right? What if there really is a special Arab people, millions strong, who simply must live in Israel, and nowhere else? And what if God Herself has so decreed it?
First, if that is the case, Israel will get pretty crowded. I wonder if there will be enough water? Luckily, the Jews of Israel have increased water productivity in that nation to a rather high level. So maybe there will be enough water. But I can't guarantee that life will be inexpensive there.
Now, let's look at the way homes will be sold if the special Arabs really will pay more than the Jews. The Jews will indeed get bought out from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat, and the rest of Israel. But only if they get a huge amount of money, and only if they can be sure that this money is genuine and can be used to buy houses elsewhere. They will try to use that money to buy homes from Arabs elsewhere in Israel, but now they'll be outbid for these homes. Therefore, the Jews will simply buy all of Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria with the money. That sounds like a fair trade, don't you think?
My point is simple. There is no "demographic problem" that restricts the size of Israel to less than 9000 square miles. Arabs can not shame or cajole five million or more Jews into vanishing. Getting rid of Israeli Jewish rights (or getting rid of the Israeli Jews) requires violence. If there is a problem for the Jews, it is Arab violence.
So Wasserstein is wrong.
He asks how many Jews lived in Israel 100 years ago. And we ought to know the answer. But it is irrelevant to his argument and to mine. He says that Arabs are having more kids. But unless they are happy to live in Israel and able to afford it, that's also irrelevant to his argument and to mine. He asks if the region was really partitioned after World War One (prior to a huge percentage of the world's Jews being killed in World War Two). Um, that is really irrelevant now.
As I see it, this book simply asks how much land we ought to steal from the land-poor Asian Jews. And it comes up with a wrong answer. See if you can guess the right answer!
A Great Non-Biased Perspective on the Conflict.......2004-05-17
This book is wonderful for those looking for a non-biased perspective into the conflict in Israel. It is not a history text, and does not outline the historical events. Instead, this book looks at various issues that most people don't consider when thinking about the conflict. I recommend it to readers who have a grounding in the historical aspects of the conflict but need a non-biased perspective on some modern issues such as imported labour and water contamination. Although these may sound irrelevant to the overall conflict, Wassersten shows their significance in clear and detailed writing.
It's easy.......2004-04-19
Why do they fight? It's quite simple.
It is a fight between one who wishes to exist (Israel) and those who seek to destroy it (Arab and Islamic world). Nothing more, nothing less.
Excellent book that offers hope.......2003-12-24
This is not a beginners book. It assumes some knowledge of the origins and major players in the conflict. Wasserstein believes that the Israelis and Palestinians will end their decades long conflict in the near future due to various circumstances. These are population, environment, and the declining impact of
Zionism. He does not specify when he believes this may happen, but he gives many reasons why Israel's occupation of the Palestinians is becoming more and more untenable.
Population - Israel wants to remain a predominantly Jewish state. The Arab population is growing more rapidly that the Jewish population due to higher birthrates and an exodus of Jews trying to escape the conflict and Israel's troubled economy. In Israel, Arabs make up about a sixth of the population. This precentage is increasing. Due to the recent Intifada Palestinian workers are largely unable to cross into Israel. As a result, Israel is bringing low wage workers from other nations. Many of these workers are either staying illegally or intermarrying with Israelis, further increasing the nonJewish population. Some
neighborhoods are being taken over by illegals, which is causing Jewish flight in many areas. Population issues will soon force Israel to accept the creation of a Palestinian state. Israel can swap predominantly Arab towns in exchange for Jewish settlements. This will significantly lower the nonJewish population of Israel. An end to the Intifada would also mean the return of Palestinian workers who can go back to their own country everynight, largely elimating Israel's illegal immigration problem.
Environmental - Water shortages and dealing with the area's severe water pollution will require cooperation between both sides, since they share the same water supplies.
Declining Impact of Zionism - The early Zionists were Marxists, who wanted to create a agricultural/communal Jewish state. They believed that the ideal Hebrew was a farmer and a soldier. While Marxist beliefs were never widespread in Israel (most people lived in cities and had nonfarming careers) the Marxists did manage to dominate politics and the military. The Israeli business class is now becoming more powerful politically. They have a strong incentive to end this conflict, which is seriously harming Israel's economy.
Wasserstein also points out that the few sticking points in negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians were close to being worked out in Taba, Egypt. In fact, Israeli and Palestinian delegations recently signed an unofficial peace agreement called the Geneva Accords that if real would resolve the conflict. This proves that peace is possible. Both Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat are obstacles to peace. All that's needed now are leaders who care more about their people than land.
Books:
- A Nation of Enemies: Chile Under Pinochet
- Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion
- Alien Agenda: Investigating the Extraterrestrial Presence Among Us
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
- America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan
- An Introduction to Legal Reasoning (Phoenix Books)
- Anarchism: From Theory to Practice
- Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream
- Beyond Fear
- Black's Law Dictionary (Pocket), 3rd Edition
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
- 101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts
- The Couple's Wedding Survival Manual: How To Tie The Knot Without Coming Unraveled
- The Dodo: Extinction in Paradise
- The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life
- A Derrida Reader: Between the Blinds
- Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
- Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, Third Edition
- The 123s
General
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict: Sixth Revised and Updated Edition
The Case for Israel
A History of Zionism: From the French Revolution to the Establishment of the State of Israel
The Zionist Idea: A Historical Analysis and Reader
![Vichy France and the Jews: with a new Foreword [1995] by Stanley Hoffmann](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0804724997.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
