Shimon Peres: The Last Founding Father of Israel

How can one explain that Israel has not yet solved the century old question of Palestine? Shimon Peres profoundly shaped Zionist Israel. For over six decades, the career politician held key positions in the state. And yet, little is known about his real contribution to Israel’s security-oriented political order. While he tried to achieve both security and legitimacy, he in fact forged a militaristic, and hence depoliticized, Zionist polity. This is why Israel failed, time and again, to solve the conflict over Palestine, dooming the region to a state of constant war. Based mainly on Hebrew sources, this political-intellectual biography provides insights into the roots of one of the most dangerous conflicts in contemporary history. "Amar-Dahl's courageous step of presenting such a critical biography deserves recognition". Hans Mommsen, Frankfurter Rundschau "Worth reading in its entirety in its rich density of information and analytical verve. Careful reading will provide insights and open perspectives that will enrich even the most well-informed reader." Moshe Zuckermann "An insightful book… that one must read to understand the crisis between generations in present-day Israel." Michael Stürmer, Deutschlandfunk Kultur "A milestone within German publications with a Middle East focus." Dominik Peters, Zenith