Israel: What Went Wrong? By Omer Bartov

In Israel: What Went Wrong?, Omer Bartov brings together history, political analysis, and personal reflection to examine the long arc of a conflict that continues to shape global politics.

Born in Israel and later becoming one of the world’s foremost scholars of genocide, Bartov revisits the founding of the state in 1948, established with broad international backing in the aftermath of World War II, and traces the political and ideological shifts that have followed.

The book explores how Zionism evolved within the realities of statehood, war, and occupation, and why the situation is now under increasing international scrutiny, including in legal and diplomatic forums. It situates the present crisis within wider debates around nationalism, state power, and accountability, while also examining internal political and societal dynamics that continue to shape public opinion.

Compact yet rigorous, this work serves as an accessible entry point into one of the most complex and closely watched conflicts in the world today.

Early Praise

“Bartov explores the most horrifying and vexing calamity of our time with a rare combination of painful personal intimacy and impeccable scholarship.” — Pankaj Mishra

“For anyone seeking to understand the tragedies of the last two years, Israel: What Went Wrong? is an essential read.” — Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Omer Bartov is Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University and a leading authority on genocide and mass violence. His previous book Anatomy of a Genocide received the National Jewish Book Award.