Israel

Fülszöveg

The state of Israel is rarely out of the news.
Living at one of the world's most volatile
political flash-points, Israelis have grown ac-
customed to the glare of international atten-
tion. Israel tells the dramatic story of the nation
behind the headlines.
A team of expert writers recounts how, in the
few decades since Independence, this small
country has fought five major wars, absorbed
hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the
diverse cultures of 70 different countries, built
new industries and transformed swamp and
desert into lush, productive farmland. They
look back to the turbulent history of the Jews
and the Zionist dream of a homeland for a
homeless people, providing the context for the
conflicts of the present day.
The problems are urgent and perplexing:
How to satisfy the needs and aspirations of all
citizens, Jews and Arabs alike? How to resolve
the status of the populations living in the West
Bank and Gaza, territories occupied by Israel
in... Tovább

Fülszöveg

The state of Israel is rarely out of the news.
Living at one of the world's most volatile
political flash-points, Israelis have grown ac-
customed to the glare of international atten-
tion. Israel tells the dramatic story of the nation
behind the headlines.
A team of expert writers recounts how, in the
few decades since Independence, this small
country has fought five major wars, absorbed
hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the
diverse cultures of 70 different countries, built
new industries and transformed swamp and
desert into lush, productive farmland. They
look back to the turbulent history of the Jews
and the Zionist dream of a homeland for a
homeless people, providing the context for the
conflicts of the present day.
The problems are urgent and perplexing:
How to satisfy the needs and aspirations of all
citizens, Jews and Arabs alike? How to resolve
the status of the populations living in the West
Bank and Gaza, territories occupied by Israel
in the Six Day War of 1967? How to live in peace
with Arab neighbours? How to reconcile
ancient religious law with the political realities
of a modern democracy? How to manage an
economy whose spectacular achievements
have been accompanied by equally spectacular
financial crises?
A wealth of specially commissioned photo-
graphs provide rare glimpses into very different
worlds: communal living on a kibbutz; the
pious followers of three ancient faiths, at prayer
and at work in the hidden corners of Jerusa-
lem's Old City; scientists using high tech-
nology to make the desert green; landscapes
virtually unchanged since the days of the
biblical saints and prophets. Detailed maps
and charts help build up a profile of the
country's climate, geography, political system
and population.
Above all, Israel portrays a vibrant but
troubled land, a place where preconceptions
and assumptions are challenged at every turn. Vissza