The Making of Israeli Militarism

With thoughtful use of primary sources, Uri Ben-Eliezer provides a serious, sustained, and critical look at the place of the military in Israeli society. He maintains that from the early days of the Yishuv, militarism and the military have become a way of life for Israelis. Focusing on the period between 1936 and 1956, The Making of Israeli Militarism traces the ways in which military force acquired legitimacy in civilian society and the use of organized violence became an acceptable solution to conflicts, especially the Arab-Israeli conflict.

"... an original interpretation of the wide-ranging impact of the military on Israeli society... one of the most insightful works on Israeli society in general." --Gershon Shafir

From the early days of the Yishuv, militarism and the military have become a way of life for Israelis. Focusing on the period between 1936 and 1956, Uri Ben-Eliezer traces the ways in which military force acquired legitimacy in civilian society and how the use of organized violence became an acceptable solution to conflicts, especially the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Uri Ben-Eliezer is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Haifa. He is co-author (with Yonathan Shapiro) of The Elements of Sociology.