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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS When so much of the academic's work involves criticism (as well intentioned and constructive as it may be), it is almost a relief to end one's labors with acknowledgments to others who facilitated its execution. A sense of trepidation , however, continues to linger when one realizes that inevitably I will overlook persons worthy of thanks. I begin then with an apology. My heartfelt thanks go to the Truman Institute, its academic director, Moshe Maoz, its executive director, Edy Kaufman, and the academic committee for providing me with seed money and facilities throughout the duration of research and writing of this book. I also would like to thank members of the staff of the Truman Institute and its library-Cecil Panzer, Avraham Greenhaus, Ammon Ben-Arieh, and Ricardo Schwed-who met my many requests for research material even at the most inconvenient moments, and Haya Beckerman for editing advice. A generous grant from the Israel Academy of Arts and Sciences enabled me to complete the book. I would like to thank Frank Dobbins, Sheldon Geller, William S. Miles, Yitzchak Naqqash, and Ira Sharkansky for commenting on portions of the manuscript and David Ricci for coming to my aid in editing and improving the book. I have gained much from their comments and criticisms. Special thanks also go to Cory Welt for his patient editing work, to Jacob Landau for his proverbial good advice, and to my wife Edna and my children, Avigail, Neomi, Yael, David, and ltamar. Aziz Haidar, 'Abd al-Jawad Salih, Marwan al-Barghuthi, and Nabih Bashir contributed important insights whose debt I am more than happy to acknowledge. Needles to say, I take full responsibility for any defects in the book. ix ...

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