The Accidental Empire

The Accidental Empire examines Israel's settlement movement in the territories captured during the 1967 Six-Day War. Through extensive research and interviews, Gorenberg reconstructs the key decisions and actions that led to Israeli civilians moving into these contested areas. The book focuses on the period between 1967-1977, tracking how initial military outposts transformed into civilian settlements. Gorenberg documents the roles of government officials, military leaders, and religious activists who shaped settlement policy during this critical decade. The narrative follows multiple key figures including Moshe Dayan, Yigal Allon, and religious-nationalist leaders as they pursued competing visions for the captured territories. Through newly available documents and testimonies, the book reveals the internal debates and improvisational nature of early settlement activity. The work provides insight into how individual choices and unclear policies can create lasting historical consequences. It raises questions about the relationship between short-term military decisions and long-term demographic changes that reshape societies and geopolitics.

Readers describe this as a detailed examination of Israel's settlement policies after the 1967 war, based on declassified documents and interviews. Many note its thoroughness in explaining how the settlements began without an official master plan. Readers appreciated: - Clear chronological organization - Original source materials and research - Balanced tone when discussing controversial topics - Focus on specific key figures and their decision-making Common criticisms: - Dense writing style that can be difficult to follow - Too much detail about minor political figures - Assumes significant background knowledge of Israeli politics - Limited coverage of Palestinian perspectives Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) Multiple reviewers highlighted the book's relevance to understanding current Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. One Amazon reviewer noted it "fills an important gap in explaining how initial post-1967 decisions still impact the region today." Several Goodreads reviews mentioned the book works better for readers already familiar with Israeli history.

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🔷 Author Gershom Gorenberg spent seven years researching this book, conducting extensive interviews with key figures and accessing previously classified Israeli government documents. 🔷 The book reveals how many early Israeli settlements in the occupied territories began as temporary military outposts or archeological camps before evolving into permanent communities. 🔷 Despite common perception, the book demonstrates that Israel's settlement expansion wasn't always a carefully planned strategy - many crucial decisions were made ad hoc by mid-level officials rather than top leadership. 🔷 The Accidental Empire was named one of the best books of 2006 by The Washington Post and was awarded the National Jewish Book Award. 🔷 The time period covered in the book (1967-1977) coincides with Levi Eshkol's and Golda Meir's terms as Prime Ministers of Israel, providing intimate portraits of their leadership during this transformative decade.