Overview

You don't want a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs. - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Welcome to the Middle East, where Israel and her neighbors have been engaged in diplomatic and military conflicts for nearly 64 years, with roots in the disputes dating back over 2,000 years of history. Founded in May 1948, Israel faced annihilation from the moment the state declared independence, finding itself invaded by Arab armies hoping to put an end to it before it had barely been born. Israel has since grown into the region's strongest military power, but it continues to face existential threats that leave its position perilous in ways more dangerous than any it has faced in over 40 years. In fact, the world has been on edge for months over the standoff between Israel and Iran. With Iran seemingly racing toward a nuclear bomb and showing no signs of relenting, all eyes are on the two sides' covert shadow war (including assassinations and cyber warfare), and ultimately whether Israel and/or the United States will use force to stop them. In Israel and Her Enemies, the authors of Decoding the Conflict between Israel and the Palestinians recount the history of all of the conflicts between Israel and her neighbors, while also getting readers up to speed on where things stand now between Israel and nations like Iran and Syria, as well as relations between Israel and substate groups like Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Hezbollah. Along with analysis, anecdotes, and dozens of maps and pictures of important events and people, Israel and Her Enemies is the perfect starting point for understanding how the Middle East conflicts have gotten to where they are at today, and what the future may hold.