Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism & Zionism: Unraveling Complexities of Mideast Conflicts (1-2)
For decades, the Middle East has been a flashpoint, going through multiple wars and conflicts, with the most recent being the ongoing war in Gaza and the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.
As Israel has been the common factor in most of these wars, and is often accused of being the source of instability across the region, curiosity arises regarding its history and the Zionist ideology behind its establishment. In the light of this, the Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism could offer invaluable answers.
Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism
The Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism is a comprehensive analytical work by the Egyptian scholar and author, Abdel Wahab El-Messiri. It is an eight-volume work that delves deep into the history of Jews and Zionism, contributing to understanding the complexities of the Middle East conflict.
In his book, Al-Messiri looks into the historical facts about Jews and Zionism in a cognitive and intellectual framework. The Egyptian author’s interest in studying the Zionist thought began as a response to the six-day war in 1967, during which Israel occupied Egypt’s Sinai and others Arab territories. He decided then that it was imperative to “know the enemy,” in this case Israel.
Interpretive Study
Since the early 1970s, Al-Messiri wrote several books focusing on Judaism and Zionism. Then, he decided to expand his work into a broader collective and cultural view of the Zionist project, resulting in his 8-volume seminal publication, Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism: A New Interpretive Model, published in 1999.
The book provides an in-depth analysis of the Middle East crisis, the history of Jews and Zionism, as well as the ideology, beliefs and goals of Zionism. It also studies the Western modernist thought as the philosophical background of the Zionist project.
It aims to provide an impartial and scientific-based study for the history of Jews across the world, in addition to clarifying all concepts and norms surrounding Zionist groups for a better understanding of their history and ideologies.
A Deeper Look into History
Al-Messiri’s work analyzes the history of Hebrews in the old world, in addition to the history of Jewish groups across the modern world and their relation to their home countries and the Zionist state (Israel). It highlights the most prominent Jewish figures as well as non-Jewish figures whose names are tied to Jewish groups, such as Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler.
Furthermore, the book covers the history of Judaism, its sects and books, rituals, its ties to Zionism and antisemitism. The book also studies the Zionist movement, its activities, prominent figures, and the key elements of the Zionist State. It also offers a general study of the Western modernity.
