An Army Like No Other:
by Haim Bresheeth
Author's Description:
“The Israeli army, officially named the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), was established in 1948 by David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, who believed that 'the whole nation is the army'. In his mind, the IDF was to be an army like no other. It was the instrument that might transform a diverse population into a new people. Since the foundation of Israel, therefore, the IDF has been the largest, richest and most influential institution in Israel's Jewish society and is the nursery of its social, economic and political ruling class.
In this fascinating history, Bresheeth charts the evolution of the IDF from the Nakba to the continued assaults upon Gaza, and shows that the state of Israel has been formed out of its wars. He also gives an account of his own experiences as a young conscript during the 1967 war. He argues that the army is embedded in all aspects of daily life and identity. And that we should not merely see it as a fighting force enjoying an international reputation, but as the central ideological, political and financial institution of Israeli society. As a consequence, we have to reconsider our assumptions on what any kind of peace might look like.”
In this fascinating history, Bresheeth charts the evolution of the IDF from the Nakba to the continued assaults upon Gaza, and shows that the state of Israel has been formed out of its wars. He also gives an account of his own experiences as a young conscript during the 1967 war. He argues that the army is embedded in all aspects of daily life and identity. And that we should not merely see it as a fighting force enjoying an international reputation, but as the central ideological, political and financial institution of Israeli society. As a consequence, we have to reconsider our assumptions on what any kind of peace might look like.”
My Review - Rating 8/10
An Army Like No Other significantly widened my understanding of the Israeli-Palestine conflict and the Israeli nation. I read it with a decent understanding of the facts of the Israeli-Palestine conflict - I knew about the historical roots of the Israeli state, about the wars Israel fought in the mid-to-late 20th century, and about the current Apartheid-esqe separation of Israel. I didn’t (and honestly still don’t) feel comfortable taking a stance on this issue, since I don’t feel anywhere near sufficiently educated on what is an extremely complex issue, but this book has helped to understand the historical, societal, economic, and political atmosphere that the Israeli military operates in, and how it influences that atmosphere. It explores how Isreali military and society interact and intertwine, and how the army fits into the Isreal-Palestine conflict. I think this book is really useful for understanding the criticism that Isreal is an army with a state, rather than state with an army is pretty common, but this book really explores and reinforces that argument, showing the reader the reach of the Israeli military and how that reach is used to maintain the status quo in Israel. I thought the way the author brought in his own experiences and his family's experiences with the IDF was both very interesting and helped me engage with the book more, since I knew why the issue was important to him personally and how he has been living under the system he describes for his whole life. The book is well written and well researched, and the author did a great job of explaining the issue clearly and eloquently, so that even those with no prior knowledge of the Israel-Palestine conflict would understand his points. My only warning about the book is that it is focused on presenting, strengthening, and defending an interpretation of Isreali history - if you’re looking for the facts and only the facts, no analysis or argument, this isn’t the book for you. Regardless, I thought this was an informative book on one of the most divisive issues of the 21st century.
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