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Urban warfare--West Bank--History--21st century, Combat--Social aspects--Israel--History--21st century, War and society--Israel--History--21st century, Combat--Social aspects--West Bank--History--21st century, Al-Aqsa Intifada, 2000---Social aspects, Al-Aqsa Intifada, 2000-, Urban warfare--Israel--History--21st century, and Soldiers--Israel--Social conditions--21st century

Examines the combat experience of Israel's ground forces in the Al-Aqsa Intifada in order to offer a set of innovative concepts for understanding irregular warfare.The combat experience of Israel's ground forces in the second Palestinian uprising, the Al-Aqsa Intifada (2000–2006), is given full critical attention in this engaging study. Based on extensive interviews and observations, Rethinking Contemporary Warfare explores the ongoing debate about how the armed forces of industrial democracies wage contemporary military operations. Irregular warfare presents challenges, as routine activities can suddenly turn into violent action, forcing military forces to quickly adapt under the changing circumstances of the conflict. Such “new wars” are a messy reality consisting of high and low intensity conflict, the involvement of media and human rights movements, and the martial administration of civilian populations. Exploring the broad social and organizational features of these militaries, this volume sets forth new analytical tools to understand the peculiarities of irregular warfare in the post-Cold War era. These critical concepts include loose coupling between units, organizations that mediate between ground forces and civilian environments, and the militarization of civilian environments in urban warfareEyal Ben-Ari is Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the coeditor (with Edna Lomsky-Feder) of The Military and Militarism in Israeli Society, also published by SUNY Press Zeev Lerer was formerly Head of Research to the Chief of Staff Advisor on Gender Issues of the Israeli Defense Forces. Uzi Ben-Shalom is Head of Research for the Military Psychology Center at the Ground Forces Command, Israeli Defense Forces, and Ariel Vainer is Military Psychologist at the Ground Forces Command, Israeli Defense Forces.

Public opinion--France, Jews--France--Public opinion, Jews--France--Politics and government--21st century, Jews--France--Social conditions--21st century, Jews--France--Attitudes toward Israel--History--21st century, and Jews--France--Identity

Based on a national, empirical survey, this book presents a rich portrait of the Jews of France today. An expanded translation of a French edition, the book explores the demographics, identity, communal participation, social issues and values of this community.

Labor Zionism, Public opinion--Israel, Socialism--Israel, Zionism--Israel--History--21st century, Zionism--Israel--History--20th century, Palestinian Arabs--Israel--Public opinion, and Palestinian Arabs--Politics and government--Israel

This book refutes the long held view of the Israeli left as adhering to a humanistic, democratic and even socialist tradition, attributed to the historic Zionist Labor movement. Through a critical analysis of the prevailing discourse of Zionist intellectuals and activists on the Jewish-democratic state, it uncovers the Zionist left's central role in laying the foundation of the colonial settler state of Israel, in articulating its hegemonic ideology and in legitimizing, whether explicitly or implicitly, the apartheid treatment of Palestinians both inside Israel and in the 1967 occupied territories. Their determined support of a Jewish-only state underlies the failure of the peace process,” initiated by the Zionist Left, to reach a just peace based on recognition of the national rights of the entire Palestinian people.

Jewish philosophy--Israel--History--21st century, Democracy--Religious aspects--Judaism, Judaism and state--Israel--Philosophy, and Religion and state--Israel--Philosophy

State and Religion in Israel begins with a philosophical analysis of the two main questions regarding the role of religion in liberal states: should such states institute a'Wall of Separation'between state and religion? Should they offer religious practices and religious communities special protection? Gideon Sapir and Daniel Statman argue that liberalism in not committed to Separation, but is committed to granting religion a unique protection, albeit a narrower one than often assumed. They then use Israel as a case study for their conclusions. Although Israel is defined as a Jewish state, its Jewish identity need not be interpreted religiously, requiring that it subjects itself to the dictates of Jewish law (Halakha). The authors test this view by critically examining important topics relevant to state and religion in Israel: marriage and divorce, the drafting of yeshiva students into the army, the character of the Sabbath and more.