The Controversy of Zion: Jewish Nationalism, the Jewish State, and the Unresolved Jewish Dilemma [Paperback]

Geoffrey Wheatcroft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1997

state to the assassination of prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. This readable history will give readers a deep appreciation of the current struggles in the Middle East as well as the age-old Jewish dilemma.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In The Controversy of Zion, Geoffrey Wheatcroft, a self-proclaimed agnostic, offers an unbiased analysis of the "Jewish Question." Wheatcroft covers everything from the various outbreaks of European anti-Semitism--including Hitler's Final Solution--to the accomplishments of liberated European Jews, the argument over forming a Jewish state, the countless Jews who immigrated to the United States, and the recent assassination of Yitzak Rabin. Combining factual information with colorful profiles and anecdotes, he examines the suffering, debates, ideas, and victories that have impacted Jewish culture. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Former literary editor of London's Spectator, Wheatcroft describes himself as "a genuine neutral or agnostic" on the Arab-Israeli conflict, seeing right and wrong on both sides. In this dispassionate yet opinionated history, which sweeps from Theodore Herzl's Zionist dream to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination in 1995, Wheatcroft condemns the 1975 United Nations resolution equating Zionism with racism as gravely malicious, a reflection of the Arab states' malignancy. While praising Israel as "a unique island of constitutional government in the Levant," he echoes the observation of U.S. journalist I.F. Stone that Zionism involved a psychological act of denial along with a physical act of displacement of Palestine's Arab population. A richly detailed chronicle of Jewish nationalist aspirations and of Diaspora Jewry's shifting relationship with Israel, Wheatcroft's study is crammed with incisive profiles of such Jewish figures as Disraeli, Heinrich Heine, Martin Buber, Karl Kraus, Isaac Deutscher, Hannah Arendt, Primo Levi and Robert Maxwell; "self-hating Jews" Karl Marx and Walter Lippmann; part-Jewish Marcel Proust; and Jew-haters Richard Wagner, Hilaire Belloc and Hitler.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Perseus Books (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201328011
• ISBN-13: 978-0201328011
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,067,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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27 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and well researched, February 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Controversy of Zion: Jewish Nationalism, the Jewish State, and the Unresolved Jewish Dilemma (Paperback)

Jewish history is full of different themes. Mr. Wheatcroft has covered one of the larger ones in recent history with a skill and balance that is rarely seen. The story of Zionism is a natural highly emotionally charged subject that usually is written on one side of the political spectrum or the other. Wheatcroft, an observer from the outside, by way of a secular Christian background, manages to keep the flow of factual information coming without falling into the trap of bending the information to a particular point of view. And he does this in an interesting and informal manner. The author, quite modestly states in the preface. "All in all this is an amateur work, but in two senses: It is written by someone who is not a professional authority, but as well in the primary definition of an amateur as one who is fond of the subject." He may call himself an amateur, but if this is so, let it be known that he certainly has done his research, as there were very few, if any, inaccuracies in the book. By Mr. Whaeatcroft's own admission there were certain omissions to the story. One in particular was the parallel story of the Arab arguments which Mr. Wheatcroft explains this way. "I hope I shall not be reproached with ignoring the impact of Zionism on the Arabs, as though I were unaware how great it was; but that is not my theme." This is to say, that although the Arab community was very much a part of the story of Zionism, the books focus was rather the impact that Zionism had on the Jews. Mr. Wheatcroft never deviates from that plan although I am sure the temptation at times was great. However, I have two small criticisms which I must note here. One can be attributed more to the publisher than to Mr. Wheatcroft. Being that he is British, there is a distinct difference in literary styles between American and the British use of English. I wish more care would have been taken in the use of phrases and words in the release of this work in the U.S. One that was more conducive to the American literary style. It is maybe a small thing, and I apologize for it but it would have made the read a lot smoother if I was not left to figure out exactly what is being said or stopping to look up words in a dictionary that normally I would not have to do. More often than not, I was forced to do so, which went from amusing when I started the book to very frustrating towards the end. The other criticism, is the fact that quotes in other languages many times did not have English translations with them. I am curious how that was decided to provide translations of some, and others were left to be figured out if the reader does not speak that particular language. In conclusion, I enjoyed this work very much. It is a must for all parties interested in this field to have this book in their library. It provided a sense of Zionism that is not often enough debated. If we are to move into the 21st. century with a constantly changing and morphing Zionist ideology it is necessary to understand the solutions as well as the problems such an idea caused in the past. With a clearer understanding, Zionism can become the working ideology that it was meant to become for each successive generation to come. .......Larry Hart, Reseda, California

44 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Readable, but a limited perspective, January 30, 2002

By 

L. Knutsen "vyer" (Maplewood, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Controversy of Zion: Jewish Nationalism, the Jewish State, and the Unresolved Jewish Dilemma (Paperback)

"The Controversy of Zion" examines the polemics of modern political Zionism from its 19th century origins to the present day. Its conclusion is that the realization of the Zionist ideal may have accomplished many things, but did not solve its central problem: thr so-called Jewish Question.

For all its meticulous research and shrewd observations, it is remarkable that a basic premise is never questioned, namely whether there really is or ever was a Jewish Question. What becomes apparent is that the controversy of Zion was not caused by Zionism but rather by European nationalism. It was the European Problem that disenfranchised Jews in every European state and gave cause to a distinct and actionable Jewish nationalism on what had previously only been a religious hope.

The inescapable conclusion is thereby missed. It was not that Zionism was ever conceived as a perfect solution to a Jewish Question; rather it was an imperfect solution to an intolerable situation created by the European disease. It would be too much to expect it to make everyone happy.

And whereas the past controversy among Jews has little relevance to the future of Israel, European nationalism persists and can certainly be said to influence European attitudes toward the State of Israel and the Jewish people to this day.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Diversion?, November 16, 2010

By 

Axel (France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Controversy of Zion: Jewish Nationalism, the Jewish State, and the Unresolved Jewish Dilemma (Paperback)

This book is disappointing. Actually along these 400+ pages I found that all the crucial points of the Zionist ideology were omitted or downplayed.

Well, nothing much different from what the mainstream medias serve daily about this topic. But then, why calling this book "The ***Controversy*** of Zion", if the controversy is omitted ?

Actually I found this book so far away from what its title announces that I'm starting to wonder if Geoffrey Wheatcroft's "Controversy Of Zion" was published (1997) to divert the audience from the original "Controversy of Zion" written by Douglas Reed and published in 1955 that in contrast is deep, higly documented, and addresses extensively the fundamentally controversial aspects of the Zionist ideology.

As often, prefer the original to the copy.