The Making Of Israeli Militarism Derekh Ha-kaṿenet. English

"With thoughtful use of primary sources, Uri Ben-Eliezer provides a serious, sustained, and critical look at the place of the military in Israeli society. He maintains that from the early days of the Yishuv, militarism and the military have become a way of life for Israelis. Focusing on the period between 1936 and 1956, The Making of Israeli Militarism traces the ways in which military force acquired legitimacy in civilian society and the use of organized violence became an acceptable solution to conflicts, especially the Arab-Israeli conflict."--Jacket Contents 7 Preface 9 Introduction: The "Jewish Problem" and the "Arab Problem" 15 Part One: The Emergence of a Military Way, 1936-1942 31 1. Quests 33 2. The Formation of Military Structures 48 Part Two: The Military Way and Party Politics, 1940-1942 63 3. Hakibbutz Hameuhad and the Palmach 65 4. Mapai and Enlistment in the British Army 79 Part Three: The Military Way as an Ideology, 1942-1944 93 5. "In Uniform" and "Without Uniform": Status Struggles 95 6. The Holocaust and the Biltmore Declaration: The Demand to Establish a Jewish State by Force 109 Part Four: The Military Way and the State-in-the-Making, 1944-47 127 7. Saison: The Imposition of Authority as a Principle 129 8. Unification of Forces: The Hebrew Resistance Movement 143 Part Five: Militarism and Praetorianism, 1947-1949 161 9. Political Praetorianism in Wartime 163 10. Militaristic Politics in Wartime 183 Part Six: A Nation-in-Arms 1949-1956 205 11. A State Army Constructs a Nation 207 12. A Nation Ready for War 221 Epilogue 237 Notes 245 Index 283 With thoughtful use primary sources, Uri Ben-Eliezer provides a serious, sustained, and critical look at the place of the military in Israeli society. He maintains that from the early days of the Yishuv, militarism and the military have become a way of life for Israelis. Focusing on the period between 1936 and 1956, The Making of Israeli Militarism traces the ways in which military force acquired legitimacy in civilian society and the use of organized violence became an acceptable solution to conflicts, especially the Arab-Israeli conflict. Illuminating an ambiguous aspect of Israel's past, this important book touches the raw nerves of present-day Israeli society and raises questions that are crucial for its future.

"... an original interpretation of the wide-ranging impact of the military on Israeli society... one of the most insightful works on Israeli society in general." —Gershon Shafir

From the early days of the Yishuv, militarism and the military have become a way of life for Israelis. Focusing on the period between 1936 and 1956, Uri Ben-Eliezer traces the ways in which military force acquired legitimacy in civilian society and how the use of organized violence became an acceptable solution to conflicts, especially the Arab-Israeli conflict.