Zionism
The Jewish State (1898) Theodor Herzl # 951 Her
Der Judenstaat is considered one of the most important texts of early Zionism. As expressed in this book, Herzl envisioned the founding of a future independent Jewish state during the 20th century. He argued that the best way to avoid antisemitism in Europe was to create this independent Jewish state.
Zionist Idea, The: A Historical Analysis and Reader (1976) Arthur Hertzberg # 951 Her
A collection of essays by the classic Zionist thinkers and statesman of all political and spiritual persuasions. This book contains a lengthy introduction on Zionist thought and its history. the book offers an anthology of selection from the writings of leading Zionist figures from the early 19th century until the establishment of the state of Israel.
History of Zionism : revised edition with new introduction (1989) Walter Laqueur # 951 Laq
The definitive general history of the Zionist movement, by one of the most distinguished historians of our time. Walter Laqueur traces Zionism from its beginnings—with the emancipation of European Jewry from the ghettos in the wake of the French Revolution—to 1948, when the Zionist dream became a reality.
Historical Dictionary of Zionism (2000) Rafael Medoff, Chaim I. Waxman # 951 Med
an excellent source of information on Zionism, its founders and leaders, its various strands and organizations, major events in its struggle, and its present status.
Becoming Hebrew: The Creation of a Jewish National Culture in Ottoman Palestine (2008) Arieh Bruce Saposnik . # 950.1 Sap
... a study of the ways in which a Zionist national culture was generated in the Jewish Yishuv (prestate community) of Palestine between 1900 and 1914.
In the Shadow of Zion: Promised Lands Before Israel (2014) Adam Rovner # 951 Rov
... brings to life the amazing true stories of six exotic visions of a Jewish national home outside of the biblical land of Israel. It is the only book to detail the connections between these schemes, which in turn explain the trajectory of modern Zionism. A gripping narrative drawn from archives the world over, In the Shadow of Zion recovers the mostly forgotten history of the Jewish territorialist movement, and the stories of the fascinating but now obscure figures who championed it.
In Search of Israel: the history of an idea (2018) Michael Brenner # 951 Bre
A major new history of the century-long debate over what a Jewish state should be
History
Israel: A History (2014) Anita Shapira # 950 Sha
Based on archival sources and the most up-to-date scholarly research, this authoritative history is a must-read for anyone with a passionate interest in Israel. Israel: A History will be the gold standard in the field for years to come.
Lawrence and Aaronsohn: T. E. Lawrence, Aaron Aaronsohn, and the Seeds of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2007) Ronald Florence # 950.1 Flo
This is the story of T. E. Lawrence, the young British officer who became famous around the world as Lawrence of Arabia, Aaron Aaronsohn, an agronomist from Palestine, and the antagonism that divided them over the fate of the dying Ottoman Empire during World War I--a clash of visions that set Arab nationalism and Zionism on a direct collision course that reverberates to this day.
The Balfour Declaration: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2010) Jonathan Scheer # 950.1 Sch
With new material retrieved from historical archives, Jonathan Schneer recounts in dramatic detail the public and private fight for a small strip of land in the Middle East, a battle that started when the Ottoman Empire took Germany’s side in World War I. The key players in this conflict are rendered in nuanced and detailed relief ... and the other generals and prime ministers, soldiers and negotiators, who shed blood and cut deals to grab or give away the precious land.
The High Walls of Jerusalem: A History of the Balfour Declaration and the Birth of the British Mandate ... (1984) Ronald Sanders # 950.1 San
a full and fair account enriched by use of the British archives and other sources, especially the letters and papers of Chaim Weizmann. The book is long and weighty but not tedious, for the author writes well and gives full scope to the personalities who fashioned Middle East policy on the British side...
Jerusalem 1913: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2007) Amy Dockser Marcus # 950.1 Mar
The first popular account of this key era, Jerusalem 1913 shows us a cosmopolitan city whose religious tolerance crumbled before the onset of Zionism and its corresponding nationalism on both sides-a conflict that could have been resolved were it not for the onset of World War I.
1929: Year Zero of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2015) Hillel Cohen # 950.1 Coh
Winner of the Azrieli Award for Best Book in Israel Studies. In late summer 1929, a countrywide outbreak of Arab-Jewish-British violence transformed the political landscape of Palestine forever. In contrast with those who point to the wars of 1948 and 1967, historian Hillel Cohen marks these bloody events as year zero of the Arab-Israeli conflict that persists today. Sifting through Arab and Hebrew sources--many rarely, if ever, examined before--Cohen reflects on the attitudes and perceptions of Jews and Arabs who experienced the events and, most significantly, on the memories they bequeathed to later generations.
Ploughing Sand: British Rule in Palestine, 1917-1948 (2000) Naomi Shepherd # 950.1 She
This study is the first to reconstruct in detail the workings of the troubled Mandate administration, and the influence of its chief personalities. At the end, with the land records preserved and military equipment consigned to the sea, a leading official complained bitterly that all constructive efforts in Palestine had been like “ploughing sand.”
One Palestine Complete: Jews and Arabs Under the British Mandate (2001) Tom Segev # 950.1 Seg
Drawing on untapped archival materials, Tom Segev reconstructs an era (1917 to 1948) of limitless possibilities and tragic missteps. He introduces an array unforgettable characters, tracks the steady advance of Jews and Arabs toward confrontation, and puts forth a radical new argument: that the British, far from being pro-Arab, consistently favored the Zionist position, out of the mistaken–and anti-Semitic–belief that Jews turned the wheels of history. Rich in historical detail, sensitive to all perspectives, One Palestine, Complete brilliantly depicts the decline of an empire, the birth of one nation, and the tragedy of another.
1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War (2008) Benny Morris # 950.21 Mor
This history of the foundational war in the Arab-Israeli conflict is groundbreaking, objective, and deeply revisionist. A riveting account of the military engagements, it also focuses on the war's political dimensions. Benny Morris probes the motives and aims of the protagonists on the basis of newly opened Israeli and Western documentation. The Arab side―where the archives are still closed―is illuminated with the help of intelligence and diplomatic materials.
1949: The First Israelis (1998) Tom Segev # 950.22 Seg
Drawing on journal entries, letters, declassified government documents, and more, 1949 is a richly detailed look at the friction between the idealism of the Zionist movement and the cold realities of history. Decades after its publication in the United States, Segev’s groundbreaking book is still required reading for anyone who wants to understand Israel’s past and future.
1967: Israel, the War, and the Year that Transformed the Middle East (2007) Tom Segev # 950.23 Seg
Going far beyond a military account, Segev re-creates the apocalyptic climate in Israel before the war as well as the country's bravado after its victory. He introduces the legendary figures ... and an epic cast of soldiers, lobbyists, refugees, and settlers. He reveals as never before Israel's intimacy with the White House, and the political rivalries that sabotaged any chance of peace. Above all, Segev challenges the view that the war was inevitable, showing that behind the bloodshed was a series of disastrous miscalculations.
The Accidental Empire: Israel and the Birth of the Settlements, 1967-1977 (2006) Gershom Gorenberg # 950.24 Gor
"Remarkably insightful . . . A groundbreaking revision that deserves to reframe the entire debate . . . It soars."—The New York Times Book Review
The War of Atonement: The Inside Story of the Yom Kippur War (1998) Chaim Herzog # 950.24 Her
This is the authoritative account of the Israeli army’s performance in the bitter Yom Kippur War of 1973. The origins of the war amid the turbulent history of competing powers in the Middle East are fully explored, as is the build-up of Arab forces that almost inexplicably caught Israel by surprise. The author then provides a gripping narrative of the conflict itself, punctuated by firsthand accounts and interviews with combatants. The War of Atonement is full of drama and tales of inspirational bravery, as Israel defied the odds to defeat the two-pronged invasion. An analysis of the political implications of the conflict bring this epic tale to a close.
The Missing Peace : The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace (2005) Dennis Ross # 953.23 Ros
"The definitive and gripping account of the sometimes exhilarating, often tortured twists and turns in the Middle East peace process, viewed from the front row by one of its major players."--Bill Clinton
Thirteen Days in September: Carter, Begin, and Sadat at Camp David (2014) Lawrence Wright # 950.25 Wri
Wright combines politics, scripture, and the participants’ personal histories into a compelling narrative of the fragile peace process.
The Battle for Peace (1981) Ezer Weizman # 950.25 Wei
A revealing account of what happened behind closed doors as mortal enemies were struggling to overcome thirty years of bitter hatred in face-to- face encounters that electrified the world.
Rise and Kill First : the secret history of Israel's targeted assassinations (2018) Ronen Bergman # 953.5 Ber
In this page-turning, eye-opening book, journalist and military analyst Ronen Bergman—praised by David Remnick as “arguably [Israel’s] best investigative reporter”—offers a riveting inside account of the targeted killing programs: their successes, their failures, and the moral and political price exacted on the men and women who approved and carried out the missions.
Commentary & Analysis
Israel, Palestine and Peace: Essays (1995) Amos Oz # 963.23 Oz
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These essays and speeches - written and delivered both before and after the Oslo and Washington peace initiatives - are a testimony to his convictions and a portrait of a divided land.
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Broken Covenant: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis Between the U.S. and Israel (1995) Moshe Arens # 953.22 Are
Arens reveals details of diplomacy he was involved in as Israel's foreign minister, then as defense minister for the ruling Likud coalition during the period 1988-1992.
The Jewish State: The Struggle For Israel's Soul (2000) Yoram Hazony # 950.27 Har
In what may be the most controversial book on Zionism and Israel published in the last twenty years, Yoram Hazony graphically portrays the cultural and political revolt against Israel's status as the Jewish state. Examining ideological trends in academia, literature, media, law, the armed forces, and the foreign policy establishment, Hazony contends that Israelis are preparing themselves for the final break with the Jewish past and the Jewish future.
The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World (2000) Avi Shlaim # 953.23 Shl
In this penetrating study, Avi Shlaim examines how variations of the iron-wall philosophy have guided Israel's leaders; he finds that, while the strategy has been successful, opportunities have been lost to progress from military security to broader peace.
Battleground: Fact & Fantasy in Palestine (2002) Samuel Katz # 950.2 Kat
From the questionable policies of the British, both in the Mandate era and in 1948, to the debate over the return of territories won in the Six-Day War and the war of attrition that spills over into the rest of the world, this book carefully examines Israel and its relationship to the rest of the Middle East as well as the rest of the world.
Wrestling with Zion: Progressive Jewish-American Responses to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2003) Tony Kushner # 951.1 Kus
... brings together prominent poets, essayists, journalists, activists, academics, novelists, and playwrights, representing the diversity of opinion in the progressive Jewish-American community regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Case for Israel (2004) Alan Dershowitz # 950.2 Der
a response to common criticisms of Israel.
Making David Into Goliath: How the World Turned Against Israel (2004) Joshua Muravchik # 950.27 Mur
traces the process by which material pressures and intellectual fashions reshaped world opinion of Israel. Initially, terrorism, oil blackmail, and the sheer size of Arab and Muslim populations gave the world powerful inducements to back the Arab cause. Then, a prevalent new paradigm of leftist orthodoxy, in which class struggle was supplanted by the noble struggles of people of color, created a lexicon of rationales for taking sides against Israel.
The Hebrew Republic: How Secular Democracy and Global Enterprise Will Bring Israel Peace At Last (2008) Bernard Avishai # 951 Avi
argues that if Israel is to remain a democracy, it must accord Israeli Arabs full rights as citizens, and at the same time loosen the grip of the Orthodox on the social and religious life of the Jewish state.
The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace (2008) Aaron David Miller # 953.22 Mil
Miller's point: Israel ... needs tough love, and American officials must resist American Jewish pressure to give in always to Israeli demands.
Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End (2009) Daniel Gordis # 950.27 Gor
Gordis has written many popular personal essays and memoirs in the past, but Saving Israel is a full-throated call to arms. Never has the case for defending-no, celebrating-the existence of Israel been so clear, so passionate, or so worthy of wholehearted support.
New Voice for Israel: Fighting for the Survival of the Jewish Nation (2011) Jeremy Ben-Ami # 951.3 Ben
Jeremy Ben-Ami, founder of the dovish Israel lobby J Street, sets out his beliefs and goals in this part manifesto, part autobiographical work.
The Unmaking of Israel (2011) Gershom Gorenberg # 953 Gor
Prominent Israeli journalist [and UCSC alum] Gershom Gorenberg offers a penetrating and provocative look at how the balance of power in Israel has shifted toward extremism, threatening the prospects for peace and democracy as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intensifies.
The Promise of Israel: Why Its Seemingly Greatest Weakness Is Actually Its Greatest Strength (2012) Daniel Gordis # 952.27 Gor
Certain to generate controversy and debate, The Promise of Israel is one of the most interesting and original books about Israel in years.
Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel (2013) Max Blumenthal # 950.27 Blu
New York Times bestselling author Max Blumenthal takes us on a journey through the badlands and high roads of Israel-Palestine, painting a startling portrait of Israeli society under the siege of increasingly authoritarian politics as the occupation of the Palestinians deepens.
Doomed to Succeed: The U. S.-Israel Relationship in a Time of Change (2015) Dennis Ross
... takes us through every administration from Truman to Obama, throwing into dramatic relief each president's attitudes toward Israel and the region, the often tumultuous debates between key advisers, and the events that drove the policies and at times led to a shift in approach.
Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor (2018) Yossi Klein Halevi # New 953.23 Hal
... offers a heartfelt “invitation to a conversation” to a Palestinian neighbor whom he doesn’t yet know but must come to befriend. The alternative, in this conflict perpetuated by routine failures of leadership, is to remain mired in a “cycle of denial” whereby each side bitterly denies the legitimacy of the other.
Biography & Memoir
Herzl (Jewish Thinkers) (1991) Steven Beller # Bio Herzl
Jabotinsky: A Life (Jewish Lives) (2014) Hillel Halkin # Bio Jabotinsky
Menachem Begin: The Battle for Israel's Soul (2014) Daniel Gordis # Bio Begin
Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel (2017) Francine Klagsbrun # Bio Meir
A Tale of Love and Darkness (2005) Amos Oz # Bio Oz
The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership (2010) Yehuad Avner # 953.21 Avn
My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel (2013) Ari Shavit # 950 Sha
Man in the Shadows: Inside the Middle East Crisis with a Man Who Led the Mossad (2008) Efraim Halevy # 953.4 Hal
Killing a King: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel (2015) Dan Ephron # 950.26 Eph
My Country, My Life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace (2018) Ehud Barak # New Bio Barak
updated December 2018
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