96
prioriadherenceto a partisanagenda.Never-
theless,theimportance of theircontribution
to thedevelopment of some ideas and
conceptsoftenhave been relevantto poli-
cies and publicopinionacrossnational
lines.*
The concludingchapter,"A Quarterof a
Century of theStruggle forPeace,"includes
an updatedsectionsinceRabin'sassassina-
tionand anotheron future trendsbutis too
shortto providesufficient in-depthand full
balance.Thereis convincing evidenceof the
movement's impacton severalprocesses,
includingstrengthening MenachemBeginin
histraumatic decisionto giveup the"last
inch"of theSinaiPeninsulaforthesake of
peace withEgypt,thepulloutfromLebanon,
and thecurrent peace process.However,
Bar-Onstates:"Since1993,whenpeace ac-
tivistslistento theradioor televisionand
heargovernment leadersuse theverysame
arguments theyhad foryearsrejectedwhen
propoundedby thepeace movement, the
activistcan surelyfeela sense of satisfaction
and reasonablyclaimto have had some
effect on nationalpolicy"(p. 321). Clearly,
thisfeelingis less obviousduringBenjamin
Netanyahu's premiership. Nevertheless,the
authorcorrectly pointsout theimportant role
thepeace movementplayedin "shapingthe
politicaland psychological conditionthat
prevailedon thePalestinian side."However,
on thedown side,one missesa morecritical
introspection.
IMAGES OF GENTILES
Jewish History,JewishReligion: The
Weightof Three Thousand Years, by
IsraelShahak.Forewordby GoreVidal.
London:PlutoPress.127 pages. $16.95paper.
Reviewed by Baruch Kimmerling
"TherealtestfacingbothIsraeland
diasporaJews,"wroteIsraelShahakin the
conclusionof thisveryimportant book,"is
whichmust
thetestof theirself-criticism
includethecritiqueof theJewishpast.The
mostimportant partof such a critiquemust
Baruch Kimmerling is professorof sociology at
Hebrew Universityof Jerusalem.
I See JonathanKuttab and Edy Kaufman,"An
Exchange on Dialogue,"'JPS 27, no. 2 (Winter
1988), pp. 84-109; Edy Kaufman,"Israeli-Palestinian
Co-authoring:A New Development Towards
Peace?" JPS 22, no. 4 (Summer 1993), pp. 32-44;
Edy Kaufman,"The Intifadaand the Peace Camp in
Israel,"JPS 17, no. 4 (Summer 1988), pp. 66-80.
JOURNAL OF PALESIINE STUDIES
be a detailedand honestconfrontation of the
Jewishattitude to non-Jews." Shahakis, in-
deed, a masterof painfuland sharpself-
and itis an uneasyexperiencefora
criticism,
humanist, modernJewto readand acceptas
accuratethisjourneythrough Jewishtheo-
logicalhistory fromtheseventhcentury
beforethecommonera throughthepresent.
The abundanceof enthnocentrism, hate,
contempt, chauvinism, and double standards
expressedtowardGentilesin themajorand
mostauthoritative and "holy"Jewishreli-
gious scriptures-known underthecommon
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umbrellaas theHalacha(theJewish
rabbinicalcodex)- is verytroubling forany
personwho expectsfrom"Judaism" the
expressionsof an enlightened culture.These
expressionsand "laws"are quiteperplexing
and as a phenomenoncan be labeled as
"antigentilism" (a coined neologismparallel
to anti-Semitism). Thisantigentilism is cov-
ered overand excusedin variousways,due
to a fearof harmful anti-Semiticreactions
and anti-Jewish feelingsand attitudes, by a
vastamountof apologetic"Jewish scholar-
ship"thatbegan withthespreadof emanci-
pationand theJewishenlightenment move-
ment,whichtriedto show the"nice"
humanistic faceofJudaismto theGentiles,
even by "censoring" theauthentic holyscrip-
turestranslated forotherthanHebrew,Yid-
dish,or Aramaicaudiences.However,these
textswereunableto cause a realchangein
whatShahaklabels"classicJudaism."
Anti-Gentilism, accordingto Shahak,has
manyfacesand manifestations. It includes
thedailymorningprayerthateverypious
malesaysto bless God for"notmakinghim
a Gentile"(or a woman);theprohibition
againstappointinga Gentileto a positionof
authorityoverJews;therefusalof rabbinical
courtsto takenon-Jewish eyewitnessesinto
account(Jewishfemalesalso are excluded);
theconceptualization of anyGentilewoman
as a whore;theprohibition on anyJewish
physicianagainstdesecrating thesabbathin
orderto treator even to save thelifeof a
Gentile(contrary to his obligationto save a
Jewishlife);and theban on sellingimmova-
ble property and especiallyparcelsin the
"Landof Israel"to Gentiles(an imperative
adoptedby theIsraelistate).
Beyondtheemphasison "classical"and
some contemporary Jewishattitudes toward
the"Other," Shahaktriesto develop a
counterhistory toJewish-Zionist historiogra-
phy.Here he is notveryinnovative, ignoring
mostof theideas of Salo Baron,Jacob
RECENT BooKs 97

Neusner,or HannahArendt. However, Shahakdo notexistin thetext(to whichI

Shahakis correctin asserting thattheJews could add otherantigentile expressions),
were notfromtimeimmemorial victimsof buttheyshouldbe regardedin themuch
irrationalhateand anti-Semitism. After their widercontextof theirperiod(forexample,
second dispersal,theyoftenbecamea kind in comparisonwiththerelationsof other
of intermediatory class betweenthe culturesto "otherness" at thesame
strongmen of empires,kingdoms, and other period).
rulingnobility and thepeasantry and serfs. Shahakmentionsseveraltimesthatan
Thus,manypeasantriotsand rebellionsin antigentileorderwas void "ifitmaycause
EasternEuropeweredirectedagainsttheir thespreadof hostility towardsJews,"buthe
immediateoppressors-theJews.Eventhe regardsthisrestriction or amendment in a
famousMuslim-Jewish allianceduringtheso- cynicalmanner.However,in mostperiods,
called GoldenAge in Spainflourished mainly thisrestrictionwas a major"principle," even
afterthecollapseoftheUmayyadcaliphate in rabbinicalJudaism, thatmade roomfor

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and theriseof smallBerbercity-kingdoms verydifferent and amenablepracticesin the
such as Granada,wherethemilitary ruled behaviorofJewstowardGentiles.Shahak
overArabinhabitants. The greatMuslimhero himself,forexample,agreedthatdespite
Saladin,duringhis conquestofEgypt,used veryethnocentric "laws"thatwere imposed
thelocalJewishcommunity forhis purposes on piousJewishdoctors,in practicethey
by appointing his personaldoctorMaimoni- weremoreloyalto theHippocraticoaththan
des as thegovernorof theJewishcommu- to halachiclaws.Thus,a professional histo-
nity.The latterimposedon hisfellowJews rianor sociologistcannotbe satisfied by
harshreligiousdecrees.Throughout mostof presenting thelaw alone-albeit alwaysa
themedievalperiod,bothin Europeand in veryimportant ingredient of culture-but
Asia,theJewishcommunity was self-ruled,a also mustpresenttheinterpretation of that
statusthatservedtheinterests of external law,theconcretepracticesin thecontextof
politicalinstitutionsand theinternal interests theperiod,and theforcesthatstruggled
of theeconomicand religiouseliteswho had againsttheimplications of thelaw or pro-
autonomouscourtswiththepowerto punish posed alternative interpretations (such as
by lashing,to imprison, to excommunicate Reformist Judaismin Germanyand North
fromtheJewishreligionand thecommunity, America).
or even to condemnto death. In fact,themostoppressivehalachiclaws
IsraelShahakis an amateurhistorian and and theirenforcement were internal to the
sociologistbuta professional polemicistand Jewishcommunity and notso muchtoward
a greatchallenger of humaninjusticeand theGentiles. Jewishfeminists' analysesabout
horror. Thisbook shouldbe consideredin thepersecution and oppressionofJewish
thecontextof a longtradition of harsh womenby religiouslaws,courts,and
contestswithin Judaismbetweenthefanatic preceptsare even morehorrifying than
and frozenrabbinicalestablishment and sec- Shahak'sdescription of antigentilism. I am
ularistand enlightened Jews,beginningwith notwriting thisforan apologeticpurpose,
thegreatest JewishphilosopherBaruchSpi- butin orderto givea slightly broader
noza and continuing withprominent writers, perspective to Shahak's(correct)assertions.
poets,and scientists ofthesecularist section In general,Shahakplaysthegame of the
of theenlightenment movement. Fromthis mostreactionary elementsin theJewish
pointofview,thepresentworkis highly religiousestablishment by unintentionally
selective,fragmented, and sometimesanec- equatingJudaismwitha particular (and most
dotal.Shahak'sone majorsourceis theentry extreme)versionof theJewishreligionwith-
"goy"(Gentile)in theHebrew"Talmudic out reallyanalyzingthecomplexrelations
Encyclopedia." A carefulreadingof thisentry betweenvariousversionsof Zionismand
revealsa muchmoreambivalent and contro- Judaism. Forexample,Shahakis verycau-
versialapproachtowardthe"goy"by the tiousnotto talkabouttheJewishsecular
"sages"thanis presentedby Shahak'sune- nationalmovement. Thisis notaccidental,
quivocaldescription. The overallimpression because he would confront a basic problem
conveyedby thatentryis thatmostattitudes of his own identity as a partof theZionist
towardtheGentileswererootedin anxiety movement, whichcaused theuprootingof
and a feelingofpowerlessnessratherthan Palestinian Arabsfromtheirhomeland.Thus,
hatredor lordliness. Thisis notto say that he prefersto viewJudaismmerelyas a
theexpressionsand laws describedby homogeneousreligionand notas a more
 98
complexand heterogenous sociopolitical
system.
Shahak'shiddenagendais to explainthe
veryuneasyrelationsbetweenArabsand
Jewsin Palestineand Israel.However,these
relationscannotbe explainedexclusively in
termsof an ethnocentricreligiouscodex,
even thoughthiscodex does playa role.
Two basicallysecularnationalmovements-
one a settler-immigrantand theotherindige-
nous-clashed.TheJewishreligion, which
was formedand transformed (or maybenot
transformed) duringthepastthreethousand
years,had an important rolein theshape of
Zionismand theJewish-Arab but
conflict,
notmuchmorethantheroleIslamplayedin
thismatter.
Despitesome of myreservations,
Shahak'sbook is veryimportant, especially
withinthecontextof theinternal Kultur-
kampfbetweenvariouselementsof the
Jewishpopulationin Israeland thediaspora.
For thisreason,I hope thatan expandedand
revisedversionwillbe publishedin Hebrew
as a usefulcontributionto understanding
some of thelegalfoundations and thecogni-
tivestateof mindof theless enlightened
camp in thisstruggle.
ISRAELI PUBLIC OPINION
SecurityThreatened SurveyingIsrael
Opinion on Peace and War, by Asher
Arian.Cambridgeand New York:Cambridge
University PressandJaffee CenterforStrate-
gic Studies,Tel AvivUniversity,1995.Cam-
bridgeStudiesin PoliticalPsychology and
PublicOpinion.xii + 271 pages.Appendices
to p. 279. Notesto p. 287.Bibliographyto p.
303. Indexto p. 308. $64.95cloth;$22.95
paper.
Reviewed byDon Peretz
As thetitleof thisbook indicatesand as
theauthorverifies in his analysis,Israelisof
nearlyall politicalpersuasions,social classes,
ethnicbackgrounds, and ages are obsessed
withsecurity. True,thereare greatdiffer-
ences in thedegreeand mannerof their
obsessionand in the-wayitis manifested.
Hawks and doves,Oriental(Sephardi)and
Ashkenazi,and othercross-cutting cleavages
withinthepopulationdiffer in theirviewsof
Don Peretz is author of The Arab-Israel Dispute:
Libraryin a Book (New York:Factson File,1996)
and coauthorwithGideonDoronof 7he Govern-
ment and Politics of Israel, 3rd ed. (Boulder:
WestviewPress,1997).
JOURNAL
OF PALESINE STUDIES
how to cope withthesecurity dilemma.
Some believethattheansweris through
peace negotiations; at theotherend of the
spectrum, manybelievethatonlyforceful
measurescan maintainthecountry's security.
The author,AsherArian,is professorat
CityUniversity of New Yorkand Haifa
University and one of Israel'sleadingpolit-
ical scientists.
He has publishedseveral
books and numerousarticlesdealingwith
thecountry's politicalprocessesand public
opinion.He is notedforhis seriesof
volumesanalyzingeach of thelastseveral
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Israelielections.
Thisstudyis based on a timeseries
surveying theIsraelipublicfrom1962to
1994,coveringseveralof themostcritical
periodsin thecountry's politicaland security
history-the1967Six-DayWar;the 1968-70
warof attrition; the 1982Warin Lebanon;
the 1991GulfWar;theintifada; theIsraeli-
Egyptian peace process;theMadridpeace
process;and thenegotiations withthePLO.
The diverseattitudes of Israelisin response
to theseeventsand to othersare examined
in detail.
Despitetheextensiveuse of pollsters'
jargon-F ratioin theanalysisofvariance,"
"PearsonCorrelations," "chi-squaretest,"
"betameasures,""pathanalysis," etc.-the
studyoverallis of immensevalue to any
studentof theIsraelipoliticalscene. It is one
of themostusefultoolsin helpingto
understand contemporary trendsin the
country's politics,thewhysand wherefores
of recentpolicyshifts, and thedilemmas
facingtherecentprimeministers, Yitzhak
Rabin,ShimonPeres,and BenjaminNetan-
yahu.
Arianobservesthat,althoughpoliticians
clearlyrespect,fear,and tryto manipulate
publicopinion,policyis notmade by public
opinion.The impactof publicopinionin
democraciesis through theselectionof poli-
ticianswho willmaketheultimate decisions.
Policy,in turn,thenaffects publicopinion
(p. 10). In an earlierwork,Arianobserved
thatin Israelthepublicfollowstheleader-
shipratherthanvise versawhenitcomes to
criticalforeignpolicydecisions."Thesupport
fordemocratic normsnotwithstanding, there
is a stubbornrespectforthestrongpersonal-
ityin Israelipolitics,up to a point"(p. 237).
Thisexplainstheenormouspopularity of
leaderslikeDavid Ben-Gurion and
MenachemBegin.To a largeextent,it also
helpsto explainwhyRabinwas electedin
1992and Pereswas defeatedin 1996.