The Gates of Gaza

The secret alliance between Israel, Britain, and France to destroy Nasser's rule in Egypt was a pivotal event in the history of the modern Middle East. The "Suez crisis" brought about both a humiliation for the old imperial powers and a remarkable victory for Israel. Mordechai Bar-On was General Moshe Dayan's personal assistant during the Suez Campaign and has drawn on both his own diary and many years of research to produce a gripping, definitive account of the Israeli side to the war. The Gates of Gaza describes the fears, suspicions, and agonizing debates that resulted in Ben-Gurion's decision to enter the clandestine pact, the overwhelming military victory in the Sinai, and subsequent withdrawal in the face of pressure from the United Nations. What was at the time a frustrating conflict for Israel should now be seen, in Dr. Bar-On's view, as a crucial event in securing the new nation's position in the Middle East and providing a breathing space before the great Arab challenge of 1967. The Gates of Gaza is an extremely important source for the history of Israel and for understanding one of the postwar world's most complex and fascinating crises.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.