Somewhere between myth, cynicism and pragmatism lies the truth

books:

	• 1949: The First Israelis Tom Segev Owl Books by Henry Holt and Company, 1998 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 12 reviews view larger image
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A very complete look at the 1949 immigration

I have been searching for information around the 1949 magic carpet operation, since my parents were part of that operation. Tom Segev's book gives a very complete view of the events around the immigration, both politically and within Israel where they had the task of assimilating the new settlers. And there are tidbits in my parents letters home that sync up perfectly with what Tom is describing! I give kudos to Mr Segev for painting a realistic picture of the struggles of that time period, complete with all the warts! Tom Segev's book is far more comprehensive about 1949 events in Israel then any other reference I have found to date.

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The messy business of nation building

Perhaps Segev's finest work next to One Palestine, Complete, 1949 chronicles the often messy business of building the Jewish state. From the conflict between Arabs and Israelis, the tensions between native born Israelis and immigrants, the battles between religious and secular Jews, and the spotty, sometimes faulty business of developing an "Israeli" identity, Segev provides a handy view of topics seldom (until recently) treated by Israeli historians. He does what American historians have known for sometime: the official historical version of a nation's development is often quite at odds to what actually occurred; or, in the case of the new Israeli historians, what can now be read in (recently opened) Israeli government documents. Unless you come to this book with a hard and fast agenda, it will be well worth your time to read and absorb its fascinating thesis and historical details.

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Realism About Israel's Early Days

The book tarnishes the glow of the romantic fairy tales about Israel's being founded by heroic pioneers who made an empty desert bloom. One does not have to be a complete cynic to believe that people of Arab descent in the territory from which Israel was carved were uprooted and driven from their homes or that there were significant conflicts among those who arrived from the diaspora to settle in the Jewish homeland. Myths however "needed" for psychological comfort make it more difficult to deal with today's problems and to find solutions.

An Honest Account

Tom Segev gives an honest account of Israel's first days. One develops a clear understanding of the many challenges (including defense, absorption of new immigrants, and a decent standard of living for all) that faced Israelis and their government. After reading this book, one cannot but appreciate the tremendous contribution of Ben-Gurion's pragmatic leadership in ensuring Israel's survival during this difficult period and in shaping Israel's future. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to gain an insight into the harsh realities of nation building. After reading this book, they will have a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices all made to make Israel a reality in 1948-1949.

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Somewhere between myth, cynicism and pragmatism lies the truth

1949 was a very compelling read and Mr. Segev's account is wonderfully done. I enjoyed this work immensely and learned a lot about the just who those first Israelis were and the adversity they had to overcome to create a state and society out of such an ethnically, religiously and politically diverse group of people. David Ben-Gurion is an amazing political figure and the more I learn the more I think he deserves to stand in the upper echelons of political figures.

What really amazes me is how Ben-Gurion was able to steer Israel through the extremely turbulent waters of war, immigration and state building and keep Israel intact as a democratic state. There were so many sides battling for dominance within this tiny, infant nation, between the secularists, religious, socialists, communists, criminals and terrorists, the singular most amazing incident is the lack of a civil war ever erupting. There were so many people pulling in different directions and then on top of that there were hundreds of thousands of new immigrants that it was a huge feat for this nation to remain together. I think that without the war and the ever looming possibility of destruction then there in all probability would have been a civil war.

This book helped to explode some myths of the creation of the state of Israel, and so many people have derided this work because it treats the subject honestly using the evidence from the Israeli archives and government. Those on who are pro-Israel (to a fault) feel they have to disparage this work, while those who are anti-Israel hold this book up to demonize the state, but the truth is that in war every nation commits excesses. Soldiers become different people and actions that would have been unthinkable become acceptable. The truth is that yes Israel ethnically cleansed areas under its control, and this was done with, at least, tacit approval of the government. It was the cynical (pragmatic?) belief that the Arabs could not or would not assimilate culturally or politically into the Israeli state, and that it was necessary to make sure that their numbers were very low within the new borders. It will never be known whether this decision was positive or negative for Israel. The fact is that Israel has never known sustained peace, but on the other hand there is still an Israeli state.

The cynicism that guided much of the Israeli immigration policy was a trying item. The mad, almost suicidal, rush to bring in Jewish immigrants regardless of the states ability to absorb these people was an almost disastrous policy. The way the Jews from Arab and African countries were treated is a source of shame for a people who had just experienced similar prejudices, but even here there was a duality in that the immigration policy was partly pragmatic also. The state was in constant peril and there was a need to build up the state's population for protection.

This is the thing about every state, politics and politician that they have to make these decisions that blur the lines between pragmatic realism and cynical nihilism. These decisions are not easy and they literally affect the lives of thousands of people. At the time the implications of these decisions are not readily apparent. In 1949 decisions were made that are still being felt today, whether they were the right decisions or not Israel and the rest of the world must acknowledge those choices and the implications that go along with them. Israel must make peace with its past before it will ever be able to achieve peace in the future. I would like to think this is pragmatic realism. This book is good start down that road. It is a necessary and important read.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

The founding of Israel in 1948--one of the seminal events of the century--offers a heroic narrative with few parallels in modern history. In 1949, a controversial best-seller in Israel, Tom Segev draws on thousands of declassified documents along with personal diaries and correspondence to reconstruct the unvarnished story of Israel's first year.

Segev reveals the lofty aspirations that guided the state's leaders as well as the darker side of the Zionist utopia: the friction between the early settlers and the immigrants, the lack of good-faith negotiations with the Arabs; the clash between religious and secular factions; the daily collision of the Zionist myth with the severe realities of life in the new state. Unflinching in its observations, this bold chronicle is indispensible for understanding the dilemmas that continue to confront--and divide--Israeli society.

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