"Israel was born in battle. No sooner had independence been declared than seven Arab armies invaded the tiny, nascent state, bent on its destruction. The tragedy of the Middle East had begun. In the critically acclaimed Arab-Israeli Wars, Chaim Herzog, the former President of Israel, details the epic story of Israel's struggle to exist. He provides a balanced blow-by-blow account of one of history's most bitter and enduring conflicts - Arab versus Jew." "As well as describing every campaign in absorbing and incisive detail, Herzog - who had the advantage of personally knowing the generals and politicians who have worked to ensure the state's survival - highlights the personal and political struggles that have determined the Middle East conflict." "This prize-winning account has been fully updated to the ongoing intifada by General Shlomo Gazit, who served as the Israeli Head of Military Intelligence and was personally involved in negotiations with Egypt and the Palestinians."- BOOK JACKET