Between East and West Israel's Foreign Policy Orientation 1948}}}1956 [Hardcover]

Dr Bialer describes the internal debates within the Israeli political parties on the choices between pro-Soviet, pro-Western or non-aligned foreign policies.For all students of the history of Israel and contemporary Middle East studies, this book will offer an instructive, historic perspective on the crucial policies pursued by curret Israeli administrations.For all students of the history of Israel and contemporary Middle East studies, this book will offer an instructive, historic perspective on the crucial policies pursued by curret Israeli administrations.Israel's political allegiance to the West is today unquestioned. In the early years after 1948, however, the direction of Israel's foreign policy remained uncertain. In this important book, Dr. Bialer describes the internal debates within the Israeli political parties, and particularly the highly ideological labor movement, on the choices among pro-Soviet, pro-Western or nonaligned foreign policies. Making use of recently declassified documents, the author has carried out extensive research in the State Archives and in other archives; his account is based overwhelmingly on primary sources. This book examines the ideological components of these debates as well as more material motivation factors: dependence on U.S. aid, trade links with the Soviet bloc, reliance on Czech arms supplies, and the degree of freedom allowed to the Soviet and East European Jewish communities to emigrate to Israel. Dr. Bialer concludes that there was no alternative strategy for Israel to adopt; the tilt towards the West was inevitable.Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part I. The Internal Dimension: 1. The affiliation dilemma; 2. Publicism, inter-party politics and non-alignment; Part II. Red Star Over Zion: 3. 'Let my people go'; 4. The aliyah tie with Moscow; 5. The eastern European arena; 6. Trade with the Soviet Union; 7. Political cooperation; 8. The military dimension; Part III. The Western Connection: 9. The military and econol“)