This book discusses the history, land and people, society, government and politics, economics, and culture of Israel. It provides an introduction to Israel, a definitive account of the nation's past, its often controversial present, and much more. Written by a leading historian of the Middle East, the book is organized around six major themes: land and people, history, society, politics, economics, and culture. Based on research by scholars with firsthand knowledge of Israel, this book offers accessible, clearly explained material, enhanced with a generous selection of images, maps, charts, tables, graphs, and sidebars. This book provides readers with a solid foundation of knowledge about Israel and provides useful reference lists by topic for further reading.