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Book SynopsisRaffaella A. Del Sarto examines the creation of Israel's neo-revisionist consensus about security threats and regional order, which took hold of Israeli politics and society after 2000 and persists today. The failed Oslo peace process and the trauma of the Second Palestinian Intifada triggered this shift to the right; conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah and the inflammatory rhetoric of Iranian President Ahmadinejad additionally contributed to the creation of a general sense of being under siege. While Israel faces real security threats, Israeli governments have engaged in the politics of insecurity, promoting and amplifying a sense of besiegement. Lively political debate has been replaced by a general acceptance of the no-compromise approach to security and the Palestinians. The neo-revisionist right, represented by Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud, has turned Israel away from the peace process and pushes maximalist territorial ambitions. But they have failed to offer a vision for an end to conflict, and there has been little debate about whether or not the hardline policies toward the region are counterproductive. Del Sarto explains this disappearance of dissent and examines the costs of Israel's policies. She concludes that Israel's feeling of being under siege has become entrenched, a two-state solution with the Palestinians is highly unlikely for the foreseeable future, and Israel's international isolation is likely to increase. Del Sarto's analysis of this tense political situation will interest scholars and students of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Middle East Studies, and International Relations.
Trade Reviewit combines an in-depth analysis of Israeli politics and society with an engaging style, rendering it accessible to many kinds of readers. Even those who are not experts on these issues will gain a clearer, nuanced picture from reading Del Sarto’s book. * Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs *
Thought-provoking . . . Offers a unique and valuable perspective. * Middle East Journal *
This book is a wide-ranging and consistent analysis of a very important recent development in Israeli politics and its impact on Israel’s foreign policy and regional relations. * Israel Studies Review *
Table of ContentsPrefaceA Note on Transliteration Introduction: Israel's New Foreign Policy Consensus after the Oslo Peace Process, 2000-2010 1. Feeling under Siege: Conflicts, Threats, and Regional Order 2. Israel's Foerign Policy Consensus: Impact and Implications 3. A New Domestic Hegemony: Factors and Explanations 4. The Return of Dissent? 2010 to the Present Conclusions: Insecurity and the Power of Neo-Revisionist Hegemony Appendix A: Key Political FiguresAppendix B: ChronologyBibliographyIndexAbout the Author
