Moshe Sharett

Moshe Sharett, Israel's second Prime Minister from 1953-55, its Foreign Minister from 1948-56, and one of the founders of the State of Israel, was at the centre of events in Israel and the Yishuv for over three decades. Under his leadership, the 'moderate' camp exerted a seminal influence on the politics and orientation of the young Jewish state. This definitive biography of Sharett provides a needed challenge to the accepted view that stresses the dominant role and achievements of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, and his activist supporters. Ben-Gurion, representative of the school of retaliation in relation to the Arabs, opposed Sharett's negotiative politics and forced his resignation. In this biography, Sheffer restores the reputation of Sharett and his followers. Following Sharett's political life, the book provides an original detailed account of major episodes in the history of the Holy Land from the beginning of the twentieth century to the mid-1960s, using previously untapped sources. It tells of the hitherto untold struggles between the founding fathers of the Jewish state, particularly concerning peace with the Palestinian Arabs and the neighbouring Arab countries. It concludes that Sharett and his moderate friends constituted a realistic and humane alternative to the activists led by Ben-Gurion, and it will provide a new source for future studies of the Yishuv and Israel.