Ami Pedahzur - The Triumph of Israels Radical Right

AMI PEDAHZUR

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pedahzur, Ami.
The triumph of Israels radical right / Ami Pedahzur.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-974470-1 (hardback : alk. paper)
1. IsraelPolitics and government1993 2. Right and left (Political science)
3. Arab-Israeli conflict1993Influence. 4. Jewish radicalsIsrael.
5. Palestinian ArabsPolitics and government21st century. I. Title.
JQ1830.A58P45 2012
324.2569403dc23 2012006847

1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2

Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper

Maps

Appendix Figures

This book brings a long journey, almost two decades long, to conclusion. Over the years I received the support of many dear friends and colleagues. I only wish that I had an opportunity to thank each and every one of them in person.

I would like to thank three individuals who inspired this project and supported it since its very inception in the mid 1990s. First, the late Ehud Sprinzak, whose seminal book The Ascendance of Israels Radical Right sparked my curiosity and indirectly determined the course of my academic career. Without even knowing me, Ehud was kind enough to offer his support and encouragement when I was taking my first steps as an MA student. Second, my longtime mentor, Yael Yishai, who took me under her wing and with her infinite patience and wisdom paved my academic path and shaped me as a human being. Last but not least, Bruce Hoffman, who adopted me as his younger brother when I was a PhD student and served as my guardian angel ever since. I dedicate this book to these three remarkable individuals.

I am humbled by the friendship and support of Bob Abzug, Zoltan Barany, Gabi Ben-Dor, Cathy Boone, Avraham Brichta, Gary Freeman, Bryan Jones, and Leonard Weinberg.

I am especially indebted to Cas Mudde, a longtime friend and a role model whose invaluable advice and encouragement over the years pushed me to write the best book that I possibly could.

I would like to convey my gratitude to my editor David McBride from Oxford University Press as well as to the four anonymous reviewers whose comments, suggestions, and critique shaped the manuscript from an initial idea into what I hope is a comprehensive book.

My dear friends Arie Perliger and Alex Bialsky helped me tremendously in conducting the fieldwork. The book could not have been completed without them. Special thanks to my colleague Holly McCarthy, who became the CEO of this project. Holly spent many weeks directing our team of research assistants while she meticulously checked and corroborated facts as well as saved me from making embarrassing grammatical errors. I am also grateful to Yaara Aharony from the Hebrew University who provided me with invaluable research assistance in Israel.

Finally, I thank the loves of my life Galit, Rotem, Shahar, Doron, and Nissim. They serve as a constant reminder for the most important things in life.