This book analyzes the way Israel has coped with nine wars of attrition from the 1950s to the recent Second Lebanon War (2006), questioning the belief that Western democracy cannot sustain prolonged wars of attrition. Challenging Israel with attrition has been compatible with the 'Arab way of war', which emphasizes staying power, and with the belief that democracies cannot tolerate wars of attrition, either economically or psychologically. Israel for its part developed a self-image of incapacity to sustain prolonged wars, committing itself to a traditional offensive approach to blitzkrieg, whenever possible. The book offers an account of nine wars of attrition that Israel was involved in over almost 60 years, from Palestinian infiltration and fedayeen activities against Israel in the early 1950s, through to the Second Lebanon War in 2006. The author uses these cases to challenge the myth that Israel cannot afford to become involved in a draining war of attrition. Focusing on central aspects typical of Western democracies engaged in wars of attrition – operational effectiveness; the societal staying power; the economic burden of the war; moral dilemmas; and conflict management problems - the book challenges the myth that Israel cannot afford to become involved in a draining war of attrition, while at the same time highlighting the fact that in its wars of attrition Israel has not always succeeded in avoiding undesired escalation. This book will be of much interest to students of strategic studies, Israeli history, Middle Eastern politics, and security studies in general. Avi Kober is a member of the Department of Political Studies at Bar Ilan University, Israel and is a Senior Research associate with the BESA Center for Strategic Studies.

The end of the British mandate in Palestine heralded the birth of the new state of Israel. It also marked the end of one of the most tumultuous and momentous chapters in Israeli history. But the new state, born into a hostile environment and struggling with the manifold demands of sovereignty, would have to face many post-Independence challenges to its existence, not least in the form of armed conflict and confrontation with its Arab neighbours. This volume examines the conflicts that from the 1948 until the 1967 Six Day War came to define the Israeli struggle for existence.

Few countries of its size have attracted more attention, and aroused more controversy, than Israel. It is a country beset by conflict in its region and faced with the need to integrate immigrants and to weld individuals of disparate backgrounds and ethnicity into a modern and advanced state. And, although small in size and population, it has played a significant role in international relations. This companion book to the Historical Dictionary of Israel provides, in a single source, a comprehensive and up-to-date reference volume with detailed information about every aspect of the political life of contemporary Israel, as well as serving as a guide to the complexities and nuances of contemporary Israeli politics. It fills a gap in the literature by providing comprehensive information about the various diplomatic and political personalities, institutions, organizations, events, concepts, and documents that together define the political life of the Jewish state. The Political Dictionary of Israel will provide both students and scholars with extensive information and serve as a starting point for further research on the topic through its detailed bibliographical references.

This highly-regarded history weaves the different strands of the story into a single coherent narrative, and offers a balanced introduction to an immensely complex and controversial subject.

Rodman (a contributor to such journals as The Journal of Strategic Studies, Israel Affairs, and Defence Studies) provides an explanatory outline of the Israeli national security doctrine, "pragmatic and effective, though essentially unarticulated." He begins with a description of the historical arcs of the key military and diplomatic variables of d.