An erudite, astute synopsis of Israel's economic, social, and
political upheavals from 1987 to 1993. Frankel, a Pulitzer Prize -
winning journalist who served as Jerusalem bureau chief for the
Washington Post from 1986 to 1989, collected an impressive amount
of material in the course of his reporting. He uses it to build a
history of the tumultuous events that have challenged Israel in
recent years: the intifada, the Persian Gulf War, the huge influx
of Soviet Jews, the interactions of Knesset members, the
confrontations between President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Shamir, the Labor Party's defeat of the right-wing Likud
Party in 1992, and the momentous Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.
Frankel's prevailing theme in his analysis of these events is that
a younger, more progressive-minded citizenship is now shaping
Israel's future. Gone, he says, are outdated, Socialist-Zionist
attitudes; the new consumer-oriented, Westernized attractions are
"in." Israelis feel, says Frankel, that for the first time since
the 1948 establishment of the state, Israel is strong enough to
create history - as opposed to being defined by it - and thus to
make peace with its enemies. He writes that Israel is "still
cognizant of its tragic, heroic, bloodstained past, but it [is]
more self-confident, pluralistic, open and bourgeois." This belief
is most effectively argued in the final chapters, which culminate
in the pivotal resolution between Israel and the PLO. Displaying
impeccable precision and clarity, Frankel delves deep into the
mindsets and backgrounds of Israelis and Arabs - VIPs and civilians
alike - to elucidate their often complex, emotion-filled decisions.
He explains, for instance, why European-born Yitzhak Shamir was
unable to move forward with peace while his Israeli-born successor,
Yitzhak Rabin, was. Steeped in thoughtful commentary and deftly
written with a reporter's eye for detail, this comprehensive
history is a jewel. (Kirkus Reviews)
Glenn Frankel, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work as The
Washington Post's Jerusalem bureau chief, pulls no punches in this
thorough exploration of the birth of a new Israel. His remarkable
access -- to figures ranging from the most senior officials to the
young Palestinian street fighters -- informs his sweeping account
of years of civil unrest, political upheaval and diplomatic crisis.
The result is an unprecedented look at the people caught up in the
dance between Israel and the Palestinians.
General
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