There is nothing about that in 1948, but what does come through is a lack of illusions about Arab war aims, notwithstanding the intentions of the Jews. As for the tragedy of Palestinian refugees, Morris comes straight to the point about the responsibility for their suffering: “The refugee problem was created by the war – which the Arabs had launched.”
And, for all his reputation as a critic of Israel, Morris also points out something in his conclusion that even the Israeli government is often reluctant to say: there were two sets of refugees created by the war, since nearly as many Jews were forced to flee from Arab countries as Arabs who fled from Israel.
Sixty years after winning a brutal war in which there was plenty of nastiness on both sides, the problem for Israel remains the same. Despite Israel’s willingness to make peace and share the land, the Arabs are still refusing to do so whether, as Imam Mudeiris says, the Jews are nice are not.
The “jihadi impulse” is, more than ever, the dominant motive in Islamic life and nothing Israelis can do or say will change that. All they can do is what they did in 1948 – win and survive, and hope their enemies will eventually have a change of heart.
But, as Morris notes in his final paragraph, the challenge from Iran and its terrorist allies leaves us still understanding that “whether 1948 was a passing fancy or has permanently etched the region remains to be seen.”