A History of Modern Israel [Hardcover]

The new edition of Colin Shindler's history of Israel traces the nation's developments from 1948 to the present day.The new edition of Colin Shindler's history of Israel traces the nation's developments from 1948 to the present day. New content includes the rise of the Israeli far right, the political rivalry between Gaza and the West Bank, Israel's uneasy dealings with the new administration in the United States, the expansion of the Jewish settlements on the West Bank and the impact of the Arab Spring. This sympathetic yet candid portrayal asks how a nation that was once the admiration of the world is now perceived by Western governments in a less than benevolent light.The new edition of Colin Shindler's history of Israel traces the nation's developments from 1948 to the present day. New content includes the rise of the Israeli far right, the political rivalry between Gaza and the West Bank, Israel's uneasy dealings with the new administration in the United States, the expansion of the Jewish settlements on the West Bank and the impact of the Arab Spring. This sympathetic yet candid portrayal asks how a nation that was once the admiration of the world is now perceived by Western governments in a less than benevolent light.Colin Shindler's remarkable history begins in 1948, as waves of immigrants arrived in Israel from war-torn Europe to establish new cities, new institutions, and a new culture founded on the Hebrew language. Optimistic beginnings were soon replaced with the sobering reality of wars with Arab neighbours, internal ideological differences, and ongoing confrontation with the Palestinians. The author paints a broad canvas that affords unusual insights into Israel's multicultural society, forged from more than one hundred different Jewish communities and united by a common history. In this updated edition, Shindler covers the significant developments of the last decade, including the rise of the Israeli far right, Hamas's takeover and the political rivalC