Will Israel Survive?

by Mitch Bard and Mitchell G. Bard

Book Overview

Since it first declared independence six decades ago, Israel has endured constant threats to its existence. Though the Palestinian conflict continues to hold the world's attention, it is in fact only one of the nation's long-term concerns. Aside from terrorists seeking to destroy it, Israel must contend with tensions between secular and religious Jews, the demographic challenges posed by a quickly growing Arab population, internal political divisions,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 023060529X
• ISBN13: 9780230605299
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Top-notch analysis - Provides context for understanding Israel's predicament.

In "Will Israel Survive?," Middle East policy expert and Washington insider Mitchell G. Bard surveys the upcoming challenges to Israel and dismisses easy solutions to the Arab-Israel conflict. "Can you imagine anyone asking whether the United States will survive or whether it should exist? Or anyone saying `no' if asked?," says Bard. "Israel is the only country in the world facing a concerted delegitimization campaign that makes the book title relevant, even in the United States." While Israel faces the Palestinian conflict, terrorism, demographic risks, vulnerable water resources, and multiple internal political and religious conflicts, the U.S. alliance ostensibly is the one bright spot on the horizon. But Bard cautions against complacency. Troubling questions include: Will the U.S. retreat from its Iraq misadventure cost Israel American public support? Will it leave Israel facing the Iranian nuclear threat alone, as a lame duck president fades into history? Could the upcoming U.S. elections cost Israel staunch White House support? "American Jews fear the United States could one day turn against Israel because of the bias of the media, the prevalence of anti-Israel professors on college campuses, or the changing demographics of the electorate," says Bard. Nor is the pro-Israel lobby the answer. "The Israel lobby has very limited influence on security and political issues," Bard explains. "U.S. Middle East policy is not made by Congress. It is formulated by the President, and he (or she) is relatively insulated from the lobby's pressure. Through Congress, the lobby can set parameters within which the president can operate, but decisions affecting peace and security are in the hands of the person in the Oval Office." While he paints a realistic and unflinching picture of the road ahead, Bard's conclusion is ultimately a hopeful one: Israel will not only survive but will endure long into the future.

A must read for those who are interested in fairness!

As with any great book, I couldn't put this one down! M.Bard gives the reader details not widely known (but they should be) and does so in a manner that I believe, is fair to all sides. He points out hard facts that the world should be paying attention to in trying to "resolve" this conflict between a civil society of free nations and a hodge-podge collection of extremetist nations bent on destroying a minority people and their nation. Easy to read, expertly organized, detailed with thoroughly supported facts, and inspiring! Hats off to Mitchell Bard!!!

A well written book

I found this book fascinating even though I often had minor disagreements with what Mitchell Bard said in it. Bard gets off to a good start by cautioning us about thinking we have the "secret to peace." After all, "no one wants to admit that no solution may exist between Israel and its neighbors." And he notes that the U.S. State Department has long held the view that the way to achieve peace is to use American influence to pressure Israel into making concessions that the Arabs will accept. Well, I happen to think that the conflict is about human rights, not borders, so I have not been too impressed by any of this. Bard also sees the State Department as being misguided here, although he characterizes the conflict as about "religion, not land." The author has some things to say about the Muslim demographic threat to Israel. But I admit that I see it differently than he does: he sees the threat as one to defeat Israel just with population. Yes, that could happen, but I see that not as a way to defeat Israel peacefully, but through violence. After all, there are over 5 million Jews in Israel. No matter how many Arabs there may be, it will be difficult to stop 5 million Jews from dominating a few thousand square miles and asserting their rights there unless one uses force. There is also a section on the nuclear weapons threat to Israel. Here, I am more in agreement with Bard: the threat is real but not overwhelming. Iran will get the bomb, and it may use it. But it's more likely not to. There is also a good chapter on water, and I think Bard does a fine job here. There is enough water for now. Desalination is not an immediate answer, but it will eventually ameliorate the situation. There is an interesting chapter on prospects for peace. Bard quickly points out that Arafat was indeed able to "control the militants." The problem was that he did indeed control them "and wanted them to engage in violence." In addition, he flooded the territories he controlled with propaganda, especially in schoolbooks. Bard also has some useful things to say about Israel's separation barrier. I do think that Bard ought to have mentioned that the problem of Arab propaganda in schools is not limited to the Middle East but exists in many Western universities. There are good chapters on the Israeli Arabs, and on the Israeli economy. Next is one on media bias, which Bard portrays as virtually unfixable but not life-threatening. I think this overlooks the point that journalistic malpractice hurts everyone. He does say that many in the media have been "manipulated" by the Arabs. That may be obvious to most people, but not to me. It seems to me that many of those who appear to be "manipulated" are in fact self-manipulated: they actively seek to act the way they do. Bard does not mince words about the negative impact of Israel's many enemies around the world, especially at the United Nations. And I have to praise him for noting the infamo