Righteous victims (1999)

An Israeli historian's account of Zionist-Arab relations from 1881 to the end of the twentieth century. Benny Morris was a professor of history at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba, and the book sets out to explode the myths that both sides cherish. It is long and detailed, closer to a reference work than a quick read, and its value lies in how unsparing it is about events either community would rather forget. Use it to look up a particular war or turning point and see what the record shows. The later Vintage paperback, subtitled 1881-2001, adds an afterword on Ehud Barak's time in office, Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and the renewed conflict with the Palestinians.