Judaic Studies: Israel

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.

Useful as a source of information on Zionism, its founders and leaders, its various strands and organizations, major events in its struggle and its present status.

This authoritative reference, the product of five years of work by an international team of experts, offers comprehensive, even-handed coverage of the history, issues, actors, events, institutions, and policies related to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

More than 900 entries, enhanced by extensive cross-referencing, cover virtually every aspect of the subject. The encyclopedia also includes maps, bibliographic references, a glossary, a chronology, and a detailed index.

Members of the project¿s Advisory Board include: As¿ad AbuKhalil (California State University, Stanislaus); Khalil Barhoum (Stanford University); Yoram Meital (Ben-Gurion University); Fouad Moughrabi (University of Tennessee); Augustus Richard Norton (Boston University); and Stephen Zunnes (University of San Francisco).

The often explosively violent conflict between the state of Israel and the disenfranchised Palestinian people occupies newspaper headlines and television news every day. Yet it is surprising how very little is understood about the cause of this all - but- undeclared war. Untenable promises of former colonizers, access to water, religious and cultural traditions as entwined as they are distinct - all have contributed to what is arguably the greatest global problem of our time. The Dictionary of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict covers the history of the conflict, going back to the birth of Zionism at the end of the 19th century including the five Arab-Israeli wars, and provides biographies of political personnel in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and the occupied territories. The Dictionary provides clear definitions and comprehensive explanations of the elements at play - history, geography, religion, demographics, etc. It supports the acquisition of knowledge about this topic - not just dissemination of information. It is designed as a complement to the Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. conflict, it provides an exhaustive picture of all political participants - individuals as well as parties and organizations - in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The definitions cover the history, geography, political parties, cultures, religions, and languages of the region, as well as of the various and numerous resolutions voted by the United Nations."