The controversy over settlements in the occupied territories is a far more intractable problem for Israel than is widely perceived; Gadi Taub observes in this illuminating book. The clash over settlement is no mere policy disagreement; he maintains; but rather a struggle over the very meaning of Zionism. The book presents an absorbing study of religious settlers’ ideology and how it has evolved in response to Israel’s history of wars; peace efforts; assassination; the pull-out from Gaza; and other tumultuous events. Taub tracks the efforts of religious settlers to reconcile with mainstream Zionism but concludes that the project cannot succeed. A new Zionist consensus recognizes that Israel must pull out of the occupied territories or face an unacceptable alternative: the dissolution of Israel into a binational state with a Jewish minority.
#630788 in Books Yale University Press 2008-05-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.53 x .71 x 7.62l; 1.16 #File Name: 030013620X288 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A very readable and generally accurate accountBy Dr. JoeI found this book to be a thorougly enjoyable book on a topic about which I have personally done much reading. I learned new insights about the development of the West on almost every page; often enlivened with examples and stories; Several of the previous reviewers decried the authors' making the white settlers look bad; but they never described any specific inaccuracies in the book. Though most settlers were innocent of atrocities; it is a documented fact that the native American population in the West plummeted after the settlers came; not only because of contagious diseases; but due to often indiscriminate slaughter. Even after statehood; Indians had no official legal rights for many years; and had no recourse against a white American; whatever the charge. Hine tells it like it was.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Easy to readBy AK_girlThis was one text used for a college class I took. For "required" reading; it has actually been both interesting and very digestible. I actually picked up a second copy to send to my father; just because I think he'll enjoy it. This is not an in-depth history of the West or the US; but it does give an excellent overview of how the "real" West developed (not just Hollywood's "wild west") and themes of Western history. It does a pretty good job of presenting North American history from more than just the European perspective; as well.7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. excellent overviewBy Jack Alan RobbinsThis is an excellent brief overview of the history of the American West. I find I wanted to get into this history having traveled a bit in the West in recent years and was not ready to tackle the author's full history (which I'll do later) and I was not quite ready to read De Voto's 3 volumes. Frontiers served its purpose: I have now read one of De Voto's books and am into a second one. The illustrations in Frontiers and the suggested readings list are both very helpful.
