Description
Book SynopsisExamining Benjamin Netanyahuâs more than a decade-long period as Israelâs Prime Minister, this important book evaluates the domestic politics and foreign policy of Israel from 2009-2019. This comprehensive study assesses Israelâs main political parties, highlights the special position in Israel of Israelâs Arab, Russian and religious communities, appraises Netanyahuâs stewardship of Israelâs economy, and analyzes Israelâs foreign relations.
The scholars contributing to the volume are leading experts from both Israel and the United States and represent a broad spectrum of viewpoints on Israeli politics and foreign policy. The case studies cover the Likud party, the non-religious opposition parties such as Labor, Meretz, and Yesh Atid, the Arab parties, the religious parties and the Russian-based Yisrael BâAliyah party, and present analyses of the ups and downs of Israelâs relations with the United States, the American Jewish Community, Iran, Europe, the Palestinians, the Arab World, Russia, China, India, and Turkey as well as Israelâs challenges in dealing with terrorism. Another highlight of the book is an assessment of Netanyahuâs leadership of the Likud party, which seeks to answer the question as to whether Netanyahu is a pragmatist interested in a peace deal with the Palestinians or an ideologue who wants Israel to hold on to the West Bank as well as all of Jerusalem.
This volume will be of interest to readers who wish to understand the dynamics of Israel during Benjamin Netanyahuâs time as Prime Minister and are interested in the history and politics of Israel and the Middle East.
Trade Review "In this volume, Robert O. Freedman has gathered the work of leading scholars from Israel and the United States, each of whom has made a significant and balanced contribution to a deeper understanding of the topics covered in the book: the complexities of the role and influence of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister; his leadership of the Likud Party; and the policies and actions of successive Likud-led governments." — Natan Aridan, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, review from the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs November 2020.
Table of ContentsIntroduction Dr. Robert O. Freedman I. ISRAELI DOMESTIC POLITICS 1. Israel’s Likud Party Dr. Ilan Peleg 2. The Zionist Union, Yesh Atid and Meretz Opposition Dr. Yael Aronoff 3. The Israel is our Home Party Dr. Ze’ev Khanin 4. Israel’s Religious Parties Dr. Shmuel Sandler and Dr. Aaron Kampinsky 5. Netanyahu’s Policy Toward Israel’s Arab Sector Dr. Elie Rekhess 6. The Israeli Economy Under Netanyahu Dr. Roby Nathanson and Yanai Weiss II. ISRAELI FOREIGN POLICY 7. Israel and the United States Dr. Robert O. Freedman 8. Israel and the American Jewish Community Dr. Steven Bayme 9. Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab World Dr. Glen Robinson 10. Israel and Iran Dr. Steven David 11. The Rise and Fall of the Turkish-Israeli Alliance Dr. Mark Haas 12. Israel’s Pivot from Europe to Asia Dr. Efraim Inbar 13. Israel and Russia Ambassador Zvi Magen 14. Israel and Counterterrorism Dr. Joshua Sinai Epilogue Dr. Robert O. Freedman
