For more than a century, the conflict between Arabs and Israelis has been a major international problem. One cannot open a newspaper or turn on a television newscast without hearing about violence in the Middle East.
Kumaraswamy, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India, has written a brief handbook covering this conflict. A list of acronyms and abbreviations, a chronology, and an introduction providing historical context open the work. The author is careful to present the material objectively, using neutral terms so that readers may draw their own conclusions. The alphabetical entries range in length from one paragraph to five pages. They include people (Mahmoud Abbas, David Ben-Gurion); places (Jerusalem, Russia ); and events (Hindawi affair, Nabi Musa riots ). Political parties (Hezbollah, Likud ); organizations (League of Nations ); and a variety of policies (Oslo Accords, Resolution 242 ) also appear. An extensive bibliography with introductory notes will be very useful for researchers.
This is a good resource for smaller libraries lacking the funds for sources such as The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World (1995) and Encyclopedia Judaica (2d ed., Gale, 2006). Barbara Bibel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
“Anyone seeking key facts on the Arab-Israeli conflict is going to find this an extraordinarily useful reference work.” ―Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy
“Readers will find enormous satisfaction in this up-to-date dictionary’s focused content and well-organized, superbly explained entries. Highly Recommended.” ―Choice Reviews
“An extensive bibliography with introductory notes will be very useful for researchers. This is a good resource…” ―Booklist
“…highly recommended….” ―American Reference Books Annual
“…the present edition will leave its readers much better informed about one of the most important international disputes of our era.” ―Reference Reviews
“P.R. Kumaraswamy has taken on a Herculean but necessary task in trying to explain this key Middle Eastern issue fairly, systematically, and comprehensively in a single volume. The fact that he has succeeded in doing so will be valuable for both researchers and those who simply want to understand better the most complex and important region of the contemporary world.” ―Barry Rubin, Director, Global Research in International Affairs Center
“Viewing the Arab-Israeli conflict as a consequence of competing ethnonationalisms, Kumaraswamy (international affairs, Jawaharlal Nehru U., India) presents cross-referenced dictionary entries introducing the various people, places, organizations, events, and issues of the conflict. Also included are an introductory essay, a chronology running from 1869 to 2005, and a thematic bibliography.” ―Reference and Research Book News
About the Author
P. R. Kumaraswamy is Professor of contemporary Middle East in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. From 1992 to 1999, he was a research fellow at the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, Jerusalem. Since joining JNU in September 1999, he has been researching, teaching, and writing on various aspects of the contemporary Middle East. His works include The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Ringside View (2023), Squaring the Circle: Mahatma Gandhi and the Jewish National Home (2018), India’s Israel Policy (2010), and Historical Dictionary of the Arab Israeli Conflict (2015, second edition). In February 2010, he set up the virtual Middle East Institute, New Delhi and serves as its honorary director. He is the founding editor of Contemporary Review of the Middle East (Sage India), editor of Minorities in World Affairs (Akashganga), Persian Gulf Series (Palgrave Macmillan), and The Palgrave International Handbook of Israel.
Wow! eBook
