Trapped Fools Thirty Years of Israeli Policy in the Territories

This title reviews Israel's policies in the Occupied Territories from the beginning of the occupation in 1967 and attempts to look ahead and analyse the possible effects of these on the peace process. The book covers: "Background" - which examines the elements that have played an important role in the formulation of Israel's policy in the Territories as well as the "modus operandi" of the military and the government. A brief historical and chronological description of the main developments during the first 20 years, ending with the outbreak of the first Palestinian popular uprising (the Intifida) in 1987. An outline of the five major issues: Israeli plans and propositions for the preferred permanent political settlement between Israel and its Arab neighbours; various aspects of Israel's defence policy in the Territories; the political aspects of conducting municipal elections on the West Bank; a detailed description of the various atempts to establish settlement policies, both under the labour administration and following the Likud takeover. A summary of both the lessons to be learnt from the Intifida and the ramifications of this violent political and psychological confrontation.

Based upon the author's own experiences this study explores the Israeli government's attitude to the West Bank and Gaza over a period of 30 years. The "fools" in the book's title refers not only to the Arabs who rejected Israeli peace offers but to the Israelis themselves.

Part 1: Background  1. First Contact with the Territories  2. Shaping Israeli Policy in the Territories  3. Organizing the Military Administration  Part 2: The Ministers of Defense and their Policies: A Historic Chronology  4. Introduction  5. Moshe Dayan  6. Shimon Peres  7. Ezer Weizman  8. Menachem Begin  9. Ariel Sharon  10. Moshe Arens  11.Yitzhak Rabin  Part 3: The Issues  12. The Political Future of the Territories  13. Israel's Administrative Policy  14. Municipal Elections in 1972 and 1976  15. Attempts to Establish Palestinian Self-Rule in the Territories  16. The Evolution of Israel's Settlement Policy  Part 4: Lessons Learnt from the Intifada  17. A New Reality  18. Israel's Policy in the Territories - A Summary