1st Edition

Ben-Gurion's Political Struggles, 1963-1967 A Lion in Winter

By Zaky Shalom Copyright 2006
    160 Pages
    by Routledge

    160 Pages
    by Routledge

    An essential insight into this central figure in the modern history of Israel and Zionism. This important new study explores the years that built up to the Six Day War and details the crucial issues and events the world is still grappling with today.

    This book traces Daniel Ben-Gurion’s waning years in Israeli politics. After his resignation from the office of prime minister in 1963, the ‘Old Man’ soon lost faith in his self-chose successor, Levi Eshkol, and ceaselessly tried to undermine the latter’s premiership, eventually forming a breakaway party. The events leading up to the Six-Day War in June 1967 caught Ben-Gurion by surprise. During the weeks-long ‘waiting period’ prior to the outbreak of hostilities, he paid little attention to daily security issues. But when war did erupt, he displayed one of his key leadership skills – the ability to formulate an accurate, independent situation assessment. It will be of interest to scholars working in Israeli politics and history, this is a lucid, thoroughly researched account of the sunset years of the driving force behind the Israeli nation-state.

    Introduction  1. Ben-Gurion-Eshkol: Initial Frictions  2. The Lavon Affair  3. The Dimona and Ben-Barka Affairs   4. The Road to the Six-Day War  5. Criticism of the Defense Policy  6. Ben-Gurion confronts the War  7. Ben-Gurion’s Involvement in the War  Summary  Bibliography  Index

    Biography

    Zaki Shalom is a researcher at the Ben-Gurion Research Center. A former Israeli military intelligence officer, his areas of interest include Modern Israeli history and Middle East politics.