For a surprising number of people, Israel has become a pariah state, a threat to world - not just regional - peace and security. Israel gets the blame for half a century of Middle Eastern violence, for inciting Islamic-based terrorism throughout the world, and for stealing land whose historical right of ownership is at best contentious. This book examines the true history of the conflict and asks what could inspire such a caricature or whether any truth contributes to this. Should Israel shoulder this blame, or are the realities of the conflict far more complex? And how can a geographically tiny state of only 6.5 million people be thought to have such a profound effect on world politics? This is the first detailed account of the history of the state of Israel, and the resulting Arab-Israeli conflict, from an author who comes from outside the fray. Neill Lochery uses key events in Israel's history to present a compelling new set of arguments that challenge much of the accepted conventional wisdom on the Jewish state. Beginning with the failed peace-making attempts of the 1990s, Lochery retraces the roots of the current crisis in the Middle East and looks at the lessons that need to be learnt from the past if Israel and its neighbours are going to peacefully co-exist with its neighbours. This book is required reading, both for those who wish to understand the essentials of the Middle East crisis, and those who are looking for deeper answers to the complex questions that surround Israel and her enemies.