Israel's Wars: A History since 1947 (Warfare and History) by Ahron Bregman Paperback, Routeledge

Israel's Wars: A History since 1947 (Warfare and History) by Ahron Bregman Paperback, Routeledge 

Ben Guirion's notion of an army which was an instrument to build a nation and cement the fragmented Israeli Society can best be illustrated  if the army is seen as a bottleneck through which almost all Israeli citizen's , including women, must pass during a compulsory military service.

In this updated and expanded version of his account of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Dr Ahron Bregman offers readers an informative and digestible introduction into the origins of some of the wars that have beguiled and shaped the region and pitted Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab states into armed conflict. Dr Bregman offers new insights into some of the more recent conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah and Israel’s operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s Wars remains essential reading for students of the Middle East and conflict studies as well as anyone interested in Arab and Israeli history.

It's almost impossible to recommend a single book as the concise introduction to post-WWII warfare in the Middle East. This is in large part due to the very complex nature of the IP conflict still plaguing the entire region with its devastating consequences. Nevertheless, Bregman's work is arguably the best modern attempt at providing a brief and impartial overall analysis in the field. It is important to note that this is not a detailed history of the IP Conflict (only the last two chapters are devoted to this subject). If this is what you seek, then I would recommend different authors depending on your predilections - Benny Morris if you lean towards Israel or Avi Shalim and Ilan Pappe if your sympathies lie more with the Palestinians.

Bregman's great strength is that he knows the Israeli political and military establishments inside out. Having served as a tank captain in Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, he understands the IDF officer corps and its mentality very well. His research for the BBC/PBS documentary "The Fifty Years War" allowed him to interview many of the leading political figures of the era he is discussing. Bregman is therefore in a unique position to criticize Israeli decision-making, and is by no means averse to doing so. Well known blunders of the Israeli leadership - such as the USS liberty incident, the intelligence fiasco of the Kippur War, the atrocities in Lebanon or the police campaign to repress the First Intifada - are all correctly described as the dismal failures they really were. This sets Bregman's work a cut above the legion of other Israeli and American historians who prefer to ignore or dismiss the darker episodes of Israel's military history. He also possesses the art of making his readers understand why the political ideologies and vacillations of succeeding Israeli governments resulted in considerable problems for the IDF on the ground.

What I appreciated in Bregman's outlook was the skillful dexterity he displays in keeping his narrative relatively impartial - a considerable achievement given that the subject matter is so controversial. Although Bregman is Jewish, his perception of the Arabs is not biased. He applies the same standards to both Arabs and Israelis, and prefers to judge them by their actions rather than by their personalities. This is particularly apparent in Bregman's examination of the First and Second Intifadas. He also makes extensive use of quotes throughout the book to emphasize facts and support his analysis. The editorial input required for this work must have been considerable. But Bregman succeeds in presenting the reader with a balanced view that mostly steers clear of conjecture and propaganda.

Despite all these advantages, Bregman's book is far from perfect. It's already out of date because it was published before the 2006 Lebanon War and 2008/9 Operation Cast Lead in Gaza and does not cover these events. In my opinion, his treatment of the Suez War is very poor and superficial. For example, he fails to mention what happened in the Gaza Strip during this period; but in Bregman's defense it should be said that good books on the Suez War are hard to come by. I was also disappointed by the lack of proper analysis regarding the atrocities committed by the IDF during the 1982 Lebanon War. Bregman rightly condemns the Sabra and Shatila massacres, but he also seems to dismiss as unlikely claims that IDF troops engaged in war crimes during the first week of the operation (as discussed for example in Noam Chomsky's "Fateful Triangle"). Since Bregman was as an active participant in these events, it is difficult to refute his testimony. But the reader should be aware that other accounts by victims of this cynical episode have related a darker story.

In conclusion, I would suggest that "Israel's Wars" should be hailed as a welcome contribution to the field because it succeeds (where many others have failed) in carrying out its stated objective. It's intended to be an introduction, and it's perfect for those who want an easily accessible reference book detailing the factual course of events and providing a basic cause and effect analysis. Those who are searching for a detailed investigation of a specific conflict in the Middle East should look elsewhere.