The Left and Israel

June Edmunds

"This book primarily considers how the British Labour Party's position on Israel evolved in the postwar period. For comparative reasons, there is also a consideration of the British Communist Party and the French left. Through an in-depth examination of the changes in the left's policy on Israel at critical turning points in Middle East history, the book sheds light on the way specific historical and political considerations, such as wartime experiences and domestic politics, shaped the Labour Party's outlook as well as the role of internal forces such as the rise of particular factions. In doing so, the book also illuminates, if only tentatively, the general question of how party policy evolves, as well as internal party dynamics and democracy."--BOOK JACKET.