Hebrew Fascism in Palestine, 1922-1942

This book focuses on a little-studied yet virulent and devoted fascist faction that was active within Zionist circles during the 1920s and 1930s. Since the early 1930s, the term 'fascist' was regularly used by Labour Zionists in order to defame their right-wing opponents, the 'Revisionists'. The latter group, for its part, tended to reject such accusations. Up to this point, however, little comprehensive research has been carried out for examining the possible existence of a genuine Hebrew fascism in Palestine according to a global comparative model of generic fascism. This book is an attempt to do so, examining the first wave of fascism in Palestine, during the inter-war period. The current discussion in Israel about rising fascist movements and organisations gained momentum during the past decade. Telling the story of a yet relatively neglected part of the roots of the Israeli right wing may not only shed light on the past, but also provide us with ahistorical perspective when measuring contemporary political movements and events.

Dan Tamir is Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Politics and Government at the Ben Gurion University, Israel, and a Research Associate in the Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies at the University of Zürich, Switzerland.

Chapter One: Introduction: A Meeting in Beirut.- Chapter Two: Individuals Making a Movement: Short Biographies of Prominent Proponents of Hebrew Fascism.- Chapter Three: Facing an Unprecedented Disaster.- Chapter Four: The Nation Stands above All.- Chapter Five: Tormented by Foreigners and Betrayed by Brothers.- Chapter Six: Is Spengler's Prophecy Coming True?.- Chapter Seven: Nation, Unification, Consolidation.- Chapter Eight: Leaders and Self-Sacrificing Prophets.- Chapter Nine: "Born amidst Blood and Fire".- Chapter Ten: The Stronger Rules. Might is Right.- Chapter Eleven: Conclusion: A Hebrew Fascist Movement in Palestine.- Bibliography.- Index.