Return to Zion: The History of Modern Israel

by Eric Gartman

The history of modern Israel is a story of ambition, violence, and survival. Return to Zion traces how a scattered and stateless people reconstituted themselves in their traditional homeland, only to face threats by those who, during the many years of the dispersion, had come to regard the land as their home. This is a story of the “ingathering of the exiles” from Europe to an outpost on the fringes of the Ottoman Empire, of courage and perseverance, and of reinvention and tragedy.

 Eric Gartman focuses on two main themes of modern Israel: reconstitution and survival. Even as new settlers built their state, they faced constant challenges from hostile neighbors and divided support from foreign governments, being attacked by larger armies no fewer than three times during the first twenty-five years of Israel’s history. Focusing on a land torn by turmoil, Return to Zion is the story of Israel—the fight for independence through the Israeli Independence War in 1948, the Six-Day War of 1967, and the near-collapse of the Israeli Army in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

 Gartman examines the roles of the leading figures of modern Israel—Theodor Herzl, Chaim Weizmann, David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan, Yitzchak Rabin, and Ariel Sharon—alongside popular perceptions of events as they unfolded in the post–World War II decades. He presents declassified CIA, White House, and U.S. State Department documents that detail America’s involvement in the 1967 and 1973 wars, as well as proof that the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty was a case of mistaken identity. Return to Zion pulls together the myriad threads of this history from inside and out to create a seamless look into modern Israel’s truest self.

Genres: Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2015

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says it is – a history of modern Israel. It’s a comprehensive, well-researched and cogently argued account, very readable and fairly balanced, although I detected a pro-Israeli, pro-Zionist bias at times. However, it remains objective on the whole, and takes the reader from Masada to the present. An excellent overview, clearly written and easy to understand.

[LB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am pretty familiar with the history of modern Israel and borrowed this book from my local library hoping to find more details about the 1948 and 1973 wars, so I didn't read all of it, just the parts I needed. Unfortunately, I found very little info that I didn't know already. Here are my impressions of the book (the portions I read). This book, like some other modern books on the subject, lacks truthfulness. The writer seems to go out of his way to blame the Jews for the war and the displacement of the Arabs in 1948. On p. 115, he informs us that it was Yigal Alon, an Israeli commander, who spread the rumor among some Arab populations that the Jews were coming to kill them and take their women, so they'd better leave. A shameful lie! It was the Arab leaders themselves who were telling their populace to leave (for the same reason) and wait out till they, the Arabs, pushed the Jews into the sea, and then they would come back victorious. Those who followed them went and ended up in refugee camps among their brethren who are still today refusing to integrate them, but those who didn't are now rightful citizens of Israel. Further, on p. 124, the writer shows us a partition map and tells us that even though the Arabs constituted 2/3 of the mandate Palestine population, they were awarded only half of the land with the other half going to the Jews. Huh? Since when? First, where are the numbers? 2/3 of what? How many? Even on the map provided in the book, it doesn't look like the Jews got a half and it's a fake map, too. The writer probably never saw the real partition map, he borrowed this map from the antisemitc, so-called historian Benny Morris. What do you expect of a writer who uses Benny Morris as his reference point? Not much. In reality, the Jews were given a patchwork of land w/o continuity, a piece here and a piece there, you can't set up a country on such land. On p. 237, we find a chapter on the 1973 war. Its title --"The Destruction of the Third Temple". Excuse me? Since when was Israel destroyed in that war? If either Egypt or Syria had won, there would be no Israel anymore. Or did the writer borrow the title from the stupid "Eve of Destruction" book by Blum? Well, the title aside, there are also instances of truth twisting and bold faced lies, in this chapter, for instance, presenting Sadat as a great statesman and peacemaker after the 1973 war-- yeah, right, Sadat hated Israel just like every other Arab, he just realized that after being beaten so many times and his Egyptian glory tarnished beyond repair, he had no chance to destroy Israel, so let's pretend I want peace and let's pretend too that I only wanted Sinai back, nothing else. Overall, the book is nothing more than a rewrite of existing books, such as "O Jerusalem!" (basically a word for word rewrite of this one in the 1948 chapter), "Eve of Destruction" (should be ashamed to borrow from this pot boiler), and others, including the despicable Benny Morris. The writer himself seems to know very little, just trying to be "politically correct" to get his book published.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A readable and occasionally gripping account of Israel's military history. The sourcing is rather thin for such a charged topic, with the exception of declassified CIA documents. The author incorporates these sources well.

Those looking for an exploration of the Palestinian point of view or experience should look elsewhere.

[Richard Hessney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is an intelligence analyst for the Dept. of Defense. He has produced a fine overview of modern Israeli history, from the beginning of the Zionist Movement in the 1880s and return of Diaspora Jews to Palestine in the early 20th century to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 through successive wars against Arab countries and Palestinian militants.

As I write this review, Israel again is engaged in a war against Hamas in Gaza. It last occupied Gaza in 2006 and pulled out, allowing Hamas to regain control. Israel sees the current military action as essential for its survival, and in that sense it is a repeat of earlier wars (Six Day War, Yom Kippur War, two Intifadas, etc.). Mr. Gartman does not see this pattern of continued conflict interspersed with relatively peaceful periods changing in the future without a political settlement of Palestinian rights to the land.

When the British gave up their Mandate in Palestine in 1947, the U.N. issued a partition plan, dividing the region between Palestinians and Jewish-Israelis, but the plan did not result in two separate states. This seems to me the only workable solution, but neither side seems interested in pursuing a two-state deal at the present time. A big stumbling block to peace has been Palestinian refusal to concede defeat in repeated wars and uprisings over the past 75 years. One would think they would have gotten the message that they can't drive out the Israelis. Their strategy is not to lay down arms and work with Israel to enjoy the benefits of peaceful co-existence, but instead to launch terrorist attacks and take hostages to gain leverage. The Palestinian Authority under Abbas that controls the West Bank has recognized Israel's right to exist, but that recognition is jeopardy with Israel's invasion of Gaza. Perhaps after Israel has dismantled Hamas, Palestinians in the West Bank will finally realize they have to live with their Jewish neighbors. Leaving Palestine for other nations isn't viable for Palestinians as a whole, since no Arab or Muslim nation wants them.

[LAMONT D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I WAS LOOKING FOR A BOOK ABOUT GOLDA MEIR AND SAW THIS ONE. IT LOOKED INTRIGUING AND A BOOK THAT MIGHT SATISFY MY CURIOSITY ABOUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL TO SEE WHAT ELSE I CAN LEARN FROM ITS HISTORY. IT WAS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT BY THE AUTHOR TO PACK THE HISTORY OF MODERN ISRAEL INTO ONE BOOK. HIS FOCUS WAS MAINLY ON THE MILITARY BATTLES AND THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE THROUGHOUT THAT ALLOWED ISRAEL TO BECOME A NATION AND SURVIVE DESPITE ALL THE ODDS STACKED AGAINST IT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A BALANCED APPROACH AS HE TOLD THE STORY OF THE PERSONAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL BATTLES FROM WITHIN ON WHICH DIRECTION THE NATION SHOULD GO AS IT DEALT WITH ITS ENEMIES AND ALLIES. THERE WAS NO BIBLCIAL OR SPIRITUAL APPLICATION WHATSOEVER IN THE AUTHOR'S NARRATIVE. HE SIMPLY GAVE US THE SPEECHES MADE, THE REPORTS GIVEN AND THE ACCOUNTS OF THE VARIOUS BATTLES AND ISSUES THAT CAME UP THROUHGOUT IT SHORT HISTORY PLUS A GLIMPSE INTO THE STRONG PERSONALITIES THAT LED THE NATION FROM ITS INFANCY UNTIL WHERE IT IS TODAY. I LEARNED ALOT AND WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO THOSE THAT WANT A CONTEXT OF ISRAEL AS YOU LOOK AT IT TODAY.

[Kyra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't give this book true justice - I ended up largely skimming it rather than reading it in depth. That said, it was written more engagingly than I had expected, but I really didn't feel like I was the target audience for it.

[Todd Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account

I was looking for a good historical account with little bias. I guess I choose right. This was exactly what I was looking for. Well written and unbiased.

[The Jewish Book Council]

Review by Libby K. White for the Jewish Book Council.