Description
Book SynopsisThe 1948 war led to the creation of the state of Israel, the fragmentation of Palestine, and to a conflict which has raged across the intervening sixty years. The historical debate likewise continues and these debates are encapsulated in the second edition of The War for Palestine, updated to include chapters on Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. In a preface to this edition, the editors survey the state of scholarship in this contested field. The impact of these debates goes well beyond academia. There is an important link between the state of Arab-Israeli relations and popular attitudes towards the past. A more complex and fair-minded understanding of that past is essential for preserving at least the prospect of reconciliation between Arabs and Israel in the future. The rewriting of the history of 1948 thus remains a practical as well as an academic imperative.
Trade Review'The result is a book which is rich in new material and new insights and which enhances considerably our understanding of the historical roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict.' The Middle East
' … a scholarly, readable volume that will provoke more debate …'. Reviews in History
'This stimulating guide to the complex political and military topography of the 1948 war sets new, rigorous standards for subsequent scholars, and should be required reading for anyone who needs to understand what the whole Arab-Israeli business is about.' Contemporary Review
'… a cogent and comprehensive work on the central event in the Middle East in the year 1948 … The War for Palestine demonstrates a dedication to empirical research and a determination to draw independent conclusions'. English Historical Review
'This volume presents important and original scholarship on the 1948 war … It succeeds in bringing together historians from different backgrounds and demonstrates their ability to communicate and jointly challenge historical myths.' American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences
'This critical look at internal factors on the Arab side is most welcome in order to understand the events of 1948.' Journal of Peace Research
Table of ContentsPreface to the second edition; Introduction; 1. The Palestinians and 1948: the underlying causes of failure Rashid Khaldi; 2. Revisiting the Palestinian exodus of 1948 Benny Morris; 3. The Druze and the birth of Israel Laila Parsons; 4. Israel and the Arab coalition in 1948 Avi Shlaim; 5. Jordan and 1948: the persistence of an official history Eugene L. Rogan; 6. Iraq and the 1948 war: mirror of Iraq's disorder Charles Tripp; 7. Egypt and the 1948 war: internal conflict and regional ambition Fawaz A. Gerges; 8. Syria and the Palestine War: fighting King 'Abdullah's 'Greater Syria Plan' Joshua Landis; 9. Collusion across the Litani? Lebanon and the 1948 war Matthew Hughes; 10. Saudi Arabia and the 1948 Palestine War: beyond official history Madawi Al-Rasheed; 11. Afterword: the consequences of 1948 Edward W. Said.
