Sands of Sorrow: Israel's Journey from Independence

Viorst (Fire in the Streets, etc.) draws on many interviews to offer this solid analysis of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He focuses on Israelthe complex religious and secular forces that have shaped the country, and the reasons why Israelis have won the battles but ""lost the peace'' since the Six-Day War of 1967. The latter event transformed the Jewish homeland into an ``empire,'' increased internal factionalism and gave rise to aggressive forces opposed to relinquishing the status quo, including captured Arab territory, writes Viorst. His own view is that peace in the Middle East will come only with the creation of a Palestinian state on the West Bank and in Gaza. A blend of history and personal observations, the book includes a sharp look at the unofficial patron-client relationship between the U.S. and Israel. (April 29)