Born amidst the ruin of World War II and into the Cold War environment of realpolitik, Israel has, since its earliest existence, commanded a place on the international stage out of all relation to its size, population or ambitions. This work, part of the series Israel: The First Hundred Years, examines Israel's experience in foreign affairs in its first 50 years of existence. Contributors ask to what extent an Israeli foreign policy can be said to be a Zionist foreign policy and analyse Israel's international role in the Cold War era. They also explore Israel's foreign policy relationships...

The end of the British mandate in Palestine heralded the birth of the new state of Israel. It also marked the end of one of the most tumultuous and momentous chapters in Israeli history. But the new state, born into a hostile environment and struggling with the manifold demands of sovereignty, would have to face many post-Independence challenges to its existence, not least in the form of armed conflict and confrontation with its Arab neighbours. This volume examines the conflicts that from the 1948 until the 1967 Six Day War came to define the Israeli struggle for existence. In doing so,...