Review of Benny Morris' New Book on the First Arab-Israeli War

Published December 01, 2008 @ 07:36AM PT

1948: A History of the First Arab Israeli War, by Benny Morris

Ami Isseroff of Middle East Web has laid out why this is an important book.

While this may not be the best possible book about the 1948 Arab Israeli War, it is probably the best comprehensive history we have now in English. It takes a giant step forward in presenting to English reading audiences of a new generation a more authentic, nuanced and balanced picture of "what really happened." If you are interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict at all, this book is a must read. For those who are just looking for spurious "evidence" and "talking points" to support an anti-Israel "narrative," this book still provides some interesting materials, just as it now provides fuel for one-sided Zionist advocates. Any reasonably balanced account can be deconstructed to suit the purposes of polemics. So if you are a fanatic, don't worry, you will get your money's worth and you won't have to change your ideas. For those who respect Morris as the dean of historians of the Israeli War of Independence (AKA First Arab Israeli War or 1948 Arab Israeli war) this book should change the perception of the "narrative" of this key event in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the understanding of what the conflict is really about and what Zionism is.

Based on my reading of his review, I might not like some of the conclusions Isseroff and Morris reach in the end. But I do respect the effort to uncover some version of the truth when it's based on facts and solid history, and not designed to serve an ideological task master.

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Comments (3)

I have not read this particular book myself, but I am generally familiar with Benny Morris, Uri Avney and a number of other very credible Israelis ... amongst whom I include Gilad Atzman, though I think you would be very uncomfortable with some of his conclusions, Charles.

But don't you think that you should actually read the book, before recommending it via just a review?

I have been following events in the region ever since I read "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" over fifty years ago (might be a good idea for you and others to read that) so it's arguable that I don't need to read "1948", especially because I am generally familiar with Benny Morris anyway.

If you truly "respect the effort to uncover some version of the truth when it's based on facts and solid history", then you will read the book and not mind being challenged.

Posted by Gerry Hiles on 12/01/2008 @ 03:34PM PT
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I have read a lot of Benny Morris "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem revisited" and I gather 1948 is largely a rehash of it. In that book you have to be wary of Morris's conclusions, which often aren't supported by the facts he presents. For example he concludes or implies Ben Gurion didn't have any plan to get rid of the Palestinians by force. But then he quotes actual documents that pretty much indicate the opposite. It's things like that you should watch out for if you read this book.

Posted by Kay Swen on 12/03/2008 @ 09:52PM PT
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I concur with Gerry that you should read the book before recommending it. In fact, I suggest you read Ilan Pappe's "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine" before writing any more about 1948; this would dispel your previous notion that the expulsion of Palestinians was not planned beforehand. The population of Palestine in 1918 was about 10% Jewish; yet, the Zionist objective was to turn it into a "Jewish state." Ben Gurion's writings clearly indicate that his solution was to "transfer" (ie., ethnically cleanse) Arabs from the land.
Israeli historians such as Benny Morris seem to begin with certain assumptions -- that the creation of Israel was a necessary or righteous act -- and they don't allow contradictory facts to change their minds. Acts which would be considered horrific war crimes if committed by another ethnic group become merely the inevitable march of history when committed by the ethnic group of the historian.
Over 50 years ago, Arnold Toynbee wrote that the horror inflicted on the weaker people of Palestine by victims of the Nazi holocaust throws a "sinister light on human nature." So, too, does the inability of an Israeli historian to reach obvious conclusions cast a disparaging light on human nature.

Posted by John Crane on 12/19/2008 @ 07:59AM PT
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Author

Charles is a nonprofit professional with 20 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations in Israel, Palestine and the U.S. For the past few years, he's been specializing in online organizing.