Overview
The thirteen contributors to Whither Israel? examine the social and ideological divisions that have beset Israel, the roots of the country's economic decline and the recent developments within, and dynamics of political parties and groupings. The majority of books available on Israel have chosen to focus predominantly on the Palestinian question and on the Arab-Israeli conflict as a whole. There have, as a result, been few studies that have attempted to explore the complexities of Israeli society and domestic politics. This book fills a distinct gap in attempting to cover such issues and provides a clearer understanding of the implications of the domestic challenge for the future direction of Israeli society, particularly in the light of the present Rabin government.Synopsis
As it enters the 1990's Israel faces crucial political, economic and social challenges. Its parliamentary system is proving increasingly ineffective, prompting demands for electoral and constitutional reform; its economy is beset by stagnation, inflation and unemployment and its economic difficulties feed and exacerbate exisiting social and political tensions. This book considers the impact of these problems and their implication for the future direction of Israeli politics and society. Different chapters examine the social and ideological divisions that beset Israel, the roots of the country's economic problems, the dynamics of the Israeli political system and recent developments within political parties.
Booknews
Thirteen essays focus on the changes taking place in Israeli society and seek to judge the impact they may have on policy-making in the future. Three sections cover challenges and reform; the Israeli political system; and issues in Israeli society. The essays, by Israeli and British academics and political observers, grew out of a research project on Israel at England's Royal Institute of International Affairs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)