Hardback
March 19, 2019
9780253043252
English
1984
9.00 Inches (US)
6.00 Inches (US)
6.9 Pounds (US)
$125.00 USD, £98.00 GBP
v2.1 Reference

My Struggle for Peace, 3 Vol. Set

The Diary of Moshe Sharett, 1953–1956

My Struggle for Peace is a remarkable political document offering insights into the complex workings of the young Israeli political system, set against the backdrop of the disintegration of the country's fragile armistice with the Arab states. Replete with the diarist's candid comments on Israel's first generation leaders and world statesmen of the day, the diary also tells the dramatic human story of a political career cut short—the removal of an unusually sensitive, dedicated, and talented public servant. My Struggle for Peace is, above all, an intimate record of the decline of Moshe Sharett's moderate approach and the rise of more "activist-militant" trends in Israeli society, culminating in the Suez/Sinai war of 1956. The diary challenges the popular narrative that Israel's confrontation with its neighbors was unavoidable by offering daily evidence of Sharett's statesmanship, moderation, diplomacy, and concern for Israel's place in international affairs.

This long-awaited 3-volume English abridgement of Sharett's Yoman Ishi [Personal diary] (Ma'ariv, 1978) maintains the integrity, flavor, and impact of the 8-volume Hebrew original and includes additional documentary material that was not accessible at the time.

About the Authors

Moshe Sharett (1894-1965) was Israel's first Foreign Minister (1948-1956) and its second Prime Minister (1954-1955). Neil Caplan is author of The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Contested Histories and of Futile Diplomacy, a 4-volume documentary history of Arab-Israeli negotiations. He is author (with Laura Zittrain Eisenberg) of Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace: Patterns, Problems, Possibilities. Yaakov Sharett (1927-2022) was the eldest son of Moshe Sharett. He was a diplomat, journalist, editor, translator and founding Director of the Moshe Sharett Heritage Society in Tel Aviv. Yaakov was chief editor of more than a dozen volumes of his father's letters, papers and speeches, including the original diary published in 1978.

Reviews

"A fortunate meeting between Caplan and the younger Sharett created a winning combination of access, translating prowess and scholarly and editorial skill to bring the diary into focus for English readers. To do this, they have supplemented the original diary with notes that cite private letters, minutes from cabinet meetings and public speeches, which further fill in the historical picture that Sharett meant to record. The result is a gripping lesson in historical events, key figures and background context that offers a renewed sense of early Israeli political life. "—Norm Ravvin, The Canadian Jewish News

"The editors did not merely edit and translate the text; they vastly improved on the Hebrew version by adding Sharett's speeches, reports, cabinet minutes, and other sources to the text . . . These additions make this work so important and welcome by all who aspire to understand the foreign and defense policies of Israel in its first decade."—Meron Medzini, Israel Studies Review

"[T]he most important thing Sharett contributed to the state is the personal diary he wrote during his tenure as prime minister. It is difficult to overstate the importance of those eight volumes to the study of the 1950s and to the understanding of Israeli history as a whole."—Tom Segev, Haaretz

"These diaries are a valuable resource for scholars interested in Israel and the wider Middle East. They are also an affecting monument to both the political career and the inner life of one of Israel's least appreciated leaders."—Alexander Kaye, Brandeis University, MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL

"All in all, the translation and production of this diary is a massive piece of work and a significant scholarly achievement. These diaries are a valuable resource for scholars interested in Israel and the wider Middle East. They are also an affecting monument to both the political career and the inner life of one of Israel's least appreciated leaders."—Alexander Kaye, Middle East Journal

"The wealth of material enhanced by Sharett's eloquence and per-ceptive eye turn the diary into an indispensable source of Israel's history in its first decade and for several aspects of Israeli politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Israel's relationship with the international system. In sum, the large community of researchers and lay readers interested in Israeli politics, Arab-Israeli relations, and Middle Eastern politics should be grateful to Neil Caplan and Yaakov Sharett for this herculean effort."—Itamar Rabinovich, BUSTAN: The Middle East Book Review

"This excellent translated edition will help preserve the place in history richly deserved by Sharett—a moderate and cautious leader, an accomplished diplomat, and a believer in the gradual bending of the arc of history toward peace."—Ronald W. Zweig - New York University, Journal of Palestine Studies

9780253043252 : my-struggle-for-peace-3-vol-set-caplan-sharett
Hardback
1984 Pages
$125.00 USD

Other Titles by Neil Caplan

My Struggle for Peace, Vol. 1 (1953–1954)

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My Struggle for Peace, Vol. 2 (1955)

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My Struggle for Peace, Vol. 3 (1956)

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My Struggle for Peace, Vol. 3 (1956)

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