Customer Reviews

1949: The First Israelis

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This is a really fantastic book and one of the few to really write about the times in a completely unbiased fashion. It manages to touch upon every aspect of Israeli life in 1949, from war, to immigration, to education, to corruption, to triumph.
In addition to accurate and detailed occurences and the events leading up to them, intimate details of both significant and little known players are discussed.
If you want to know what was really going on during that time and what the principals were thinking, read this book.
If you're sick of reading literature that is either Pro-Arab or Pro-Israeli, read this book.

I have been searching for information around the 1949 magic carpet operation, since my parents were part of that operation. Tom Segev's book gives a very complete view of the events around the immigration, both politically and within Israel where they had the task of assimilating the new settlers. And there are tidbits in my parents letters home that sync up perfectly with what Tom is describing! I give kudos to Mr Segev for painting a realistic picture of the struggles of that time period, complete with all the warts! Tom Segev's book is far more comprehensive about 1949 events in Israel then any other reference I have found to date.

Tom Segev gives an honest account of Israel's first days. One develops a clear understanding of the many challenges (including defense, absorption of new immigrants, and a decent standard of living for all) that faced Israelis and their government. After reading this book, one cannot but appreciate the tremendous contribution of Ben-Gurion's pragmatic leadership in ensuring Israel's survival during this difficult period and in shaping Israel's future. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to gain an insight into the harsh realities of nation building. After reading this book, they will have a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices all made to make Israel a reality in 1948-1949.

Perhaps Segev's finest work next to One Palestine, Complete, 1949 chronicles the often messy business of building the Jewish state. From the conflict between Arabs and Israelis, the tensions between native born Israelis and immigrants, the battles between religious and secular Jews, and the spotty, sometimes faulty business of developing an "Israeli" identity, Segev provides a handy view of topics seldom (until recently) treated by Israeli historians. He does what American historians have known for sometime: the official historical version of a nation's development is often quite at odds to what actually occurred; or, in the case of the new Israeli historians, what can now be read in (recently opened) Israeli government documents. Unless you come to this book with a hard and fast agenda, it will be well worth your time to read and absorb its fascinating thesis and historical details.

This is an obligatory reading for anyone interested in Zionism and Israeli culture.
The book unfolds a surprising narrative of the early conflicts faced by the newborn Israeli State - Arabs v. Jews, Immigrants v. new Jewish Immigrants, Secular v. Religious - that overcomes the traditional approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The book touches sensitive subjects related to the discrimination against new Jewish immigrants and religious groups inside the Israeli establishment.

The book tarnishes the glow of the romantic fairy tales about Israel's being founded by heroic pioneers who made an empty desert bloom. One does not have to be a complete cynic to believe that people of Arab descent in the territory from which Israel was carved were uprooted and driven from their homes or that there were significant conflicts among those who arrived from the diaspora to settle in the Jewish homeland. Myths however "needed" for psychological comfort make it more difficult to deal with today's problems and to find solutions.

1949 was a very compelling read and Mr. Segev's account is wonderfully done. I enjoyed this work immensely and learned a lot about the just who those first Israelis were and the adversity they had to overcome to create a state and society out of such an ethnically, religiously and politically diverse group of people. David Ben-Gurion is an amazing political figure and the more I learn the more I think he deserves to stand in the upper echelons of political figures.

What really amazes me is how Ben-Gurion was able to steer Israel through the extremely turbulent waters of war, immigration and state building and keep Israel intact as a democratic state. There were so many sides battling for dominance within this tiny, infant nation, between the secularists, religious, socialists, communists, criminals and terrorists, the singular most amazing incident is the lack of a civil war ever erupting. There were so many people pulling in different directions and then on top of that there were hundreds of thousands of new immigrants that it was a huge feat for this nation to remain together. I think that without the war and the ever looming possibility of destruction then there in all probability would have been a civil war.

This book helped to explode some myths of the creation of the state of Israel, and so many people have derided this work because it treats the subject honestly using the evidence from the Israeli archives and government. Those on who are pro-Israel (to a fault) feel they have to disparage this work, while those who are anti-Israel hold this book up to demonize the state, but the truth is that in war every nation commits excesses. Soldiers become different people and actions that would have been unthinkable become acceptable. The truth is that yes Israel ethnically cleansed areas under its control, and this was done with, at least, tacit approval of the government. It was the cynical (pragmatic?) belief that the Arabs could not or would not assimilate culturally or politically into the Israeli state, and that it was necessary to make sure that their numbers were very low within the new borders. It will never be known whether this decision was positive or negative for Israel. The fact is that Israel has never known sustained peace, but on the other hand there is still an Israeli state.

The cynicism that guided much of the Israeli immigration policy was a trying item. The mad, almost suicidal, rush to bring in Jewish immigrants regardless of the states ability to absorb these people was an almost disastrous policy. The way the Jews from Arab and African countries were treated is a source of shame for a people who had just experienced similar prejudices, but even here there was a duality in that the immigration policy was partly pragmatic also. The state was in constant peril and there was a need to build up the state's population for protection.

This is the thing about every state, politics and politician that they have to make these decisions that blur the lines between pragmatic realism and cynical nihilism. These decisions are not easy and they literally affect the lives of thousands of people. At the time the implications of these decisions are not readily apparent. In 1949 decisions were made that are still being felt today, whether they were the right decisions or not Israel and the rest of the world must acknowledge those choices and the implications that go along with them. Israel must make peace with its past before it will ever be able to achieve peace in the future. I would like to think this is pragmatic realism. This book is good start down that road. It is a necessary and important read.

Tom Segev has written a great, unbiased account of the early days of the State of Israel. It's clear why it caused such an outcry when it came out, as he debunks many self-glorifying myths of the country's early days. Some of it may be hard to stomach but it is all based on documentation that had just been declassified at the time. To criticize a country does not mean that one hates it; despite what other reviewers have said, Mr. Segev never comes across as an Israel hater. You may dislike what he says, but in order to disagree one has to produce primary sources, and not skewed stats, as counterarguments.

If you thought that the Israelis could settle into their newly-won homeland after defeating the Arab armies in the War of Independence, you are mistaken. A well-written narrative of Israel's early years that provides insight into Israel's unique national persona. A must-read for anyone fascinated by Israel and its people.

The book is great and all those out there who don't want to admit that its great are only kidding themselves. The book finally tells the truth about what the Israelis have been doing to the Palestinian people for so long. Segev uses realiable sources and documents that have just recently been released to the public. His informatiion is accurate, he uses David Ben-Gurion's own diary to recount what the man was planning. Why would a Jewish-Israeli lie about his own history? It makes no sense. Segev breaks through the myths and lies that have been behind the war etc to show the real side. He is more trust worthy than other historians who have covered Israeli history prior to the 1980s because most documents were still classified at the time, so what were they basing their information on? I'll tell you, lies. Segev writes a great book that is informative to everyone...