The Birth of Israel, 1945-1949: Ben-Gurion and His Critics

Provides a useful guide through the conflicting narratives provoking such intense debate today in Israel. Immeasurably improves our understanding of events that are all too often seized only by the imagination and heart and not fully by the mind.Pt. I. The International Arena: The Policy of the Jewish Agency and Mapai. 1. Rise of the American Orientation: From Humanitarian Aid to Political Recognition. 2. Relationship with the Soviet Union: From Antagonism to Vital Aid --Pt. II. The Regional Arena: The Arab Question. 3. Consolidation of Official Policy --Pt. III. The Internal Background of Zionist Foreign Policy. 4. David Ben-Gurion, Mapai, and the Victory of Pragmatic Activism. 5. Chaim Weizmann and the Collapse of the British Orientation: An Alternative to Activist Politics? 6. The Intellectuals: Ichud and the Politics of Binationalism. 7. Aliyah Hadashah: Ideology and Practice of Nonviolent Zionism --Pt. IV. The Radical Left: Zionist Strategy and Marxist Tactics?