Boomerang by Ofer Shelach & Raviv Druker-10/10
It’s hard to find a Sabra (native Israeli) who isn’t interested in politics. Very hard. And I’mcertainly no different. Part of one’s political involvement comes from the quick media, T.V, news, radio and newspapers. Those vehicles carry the everyday gossip of politics with updates and instant analysis. And then, there’s the published press. At it’s best, lengthy, interview driven and heavily researched and minimally biased. At its worst, it’s a propaganda tool. Boomerang by Ofer Shelach and Raviv Druker confidently ranks in the first group. For any (Hebrew reading) person that would like to understand Israeli politics between the years 1999-2005, this is the book to read. Boomerang outlines the government and leadership of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority from the day the Oslo agreements were signed to 2005, just after the death of Yasser Araft. All the political upheavals, the terror attacks, retaliations, blockages, and American involvement are carefully explained as well as how different individuals have influenced key decisions that were made. The book gives a deep insight into Israeli politics and internal security by surveying the complicated relationship between the Minister of defense, the commander in chief, the Shabaq (Israeli general security service) and the different intelligence agencies that vie restlessly to shape and color the leaders perception. A strong and sobering read. 10/10