This history of the foundational war in the Arab-Israeli conflict is groundbreaking, objective, and deeply revisionist. This is a riveting account of the military engagements and it also focuses on the war's political dimensions. Benny Morris probes the motives and aims of the protagonists on the basis of newly opened Israeli and Western documentation. The Arab side, where the archives are still closed, is illuminated with the help of intelligence and diplomatic materials.Morris stresses the jihadi character of the two-stage Arab assault on the Jewish community in Palestine. Throughout, he examines the dialectic between the war's military and political developments and highlights the military impetus in the creation of the refugee problem, which was a by-product of the disintegration of Palestinian Arab society. The book thoroughly investigates the role of the Great Powers - Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union - in shaping the conflict and its tentative termination in 1949. Morris looks both at high politics and general staff decision-making processes and at the nitty-gritty of combat in the successive battles that resulted in the emergence of the State of Israel and the humiliation of the Arab world, a humiliation that underlines the continued Arab antagonism toward Israel.

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'This is Benny Morris at his best: immensely well informed, thorough, careful in the use of evidence, thoughtful and thought-provoking. While the entire book is underpinned by formidable scholarship and 72 pages of meticulous endnotes, it is presented in a fluent and readble style ... all in all, it is a most impressive achievement of original research and synthesis ... the book is likely to stand out for many years as the most detailed, dispassionate and comprehensive account we have of the war for Palestine.' Avi Shlaim, The Guardian

'Morris relates the story of his new book soberly and somberly, even-handedly and exhaustively.' David Margolick, The Scotsman

'Overall this is a first-class study, looking at both high politics and the nitty-gritty of military operations ... Benny Morris digs deep into the archives and he comes up with an impressive, rich, revealing and highly readable book.' Ahron Bregman, The Jewish Chronicle

'Morris's book is no mere military narrative, but a crisp, vivid introduction to the historical tragedy of Palestine.' Max Hastings The Sinday Times

'... it [1948] breaks new ground, offers new revelations and arguments about the conflicts causes and character ... [in an] impressively exhaustive narrative.' Stephen Howe, The Independent

'... it is a useful and readable overview that touches on all the main points. It should be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand why there is so much bitterness between Israelis and Palestinians and why it is so hard to achieve peace between them.' David Cesarani, Literary Review

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