Between Battles and Ballots Israeli Military in Politics

The protracted Arab-Israeli war and the central importance of security to Israel have given a major role to senior military personnel. Yoram Peri, a former adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, demonstrates in this book that state control over the military in Israel has been weak, and a pattern of civil-military partnership has emerged. This changing relationship involved the inner rivalries of Israel's Labour Party in particular. Clashes and accommodation between the politicians and military leaders are traced through the changing Governments from Ben Gurion to Begin, and, finally, Dr Peri examines the situation in Israel in the 1980s. Dr Yoram Peri was European representative of the Israeli Labour Party. He completed his doctorate at the London School of Economics.

List of tables and figures; Preface; 1. The study of civil-military relations in Israel; 2. The evolution of the dual control; 3. Ben Gurion and the politicisation of the IDF; 4. Party politics: the driving force of political-military relations; 5. Generals in mufti as politicians; 6. Cabinet-military relations; 7. Relations between the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Chief of Staff; 8. The weakness of parliamentary control; 9. The IDF and the Defence Ministry; 10. The defence budget; 11. Crises in political-military relations; 12. The Begin era: will there be a military coup?; Notes; Select bibliography; Indices.

Yoram Peri, a former adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, demonstrates in this book that state control over the military in Israel has been weak, and a pattern of civil-military partnership has emerged. This changing relationship involved the inner rivalries of Israel's Labour Party in particular.