Israel .. A Country at War with Itself

When Hamas launched its attack on October 7, Israel was already a deeply divided society, a fragile state marked by sharp internal contradictions and angry demonstrations against a government that was dividing the people.

Since that attack, and as the death toll in Gaza has risen, the internal contradictions and turmoil have intensified. No Israeli has been spared from this storm. How did the Israel so admired 40-50 years ago become the controversial state we see today?

In this important and informative book, Sedsel Wold explains the background of these deep divisions. She meets with religious and secular Israelis, settlers, families of hostages, and politicians—citizens who dream of a very different future for the country—and poses the question: Will Israel survive this profound internal division? Because the greatest threat comes not from outside, but from the contradictions within the Israeli people themselves. “What is happening to an Israel that is becoming increasingly isolated internationally and internally divided? … More importantly, it makes us understand the pain that lies beneath what appears hateful and cruel.”

“Sidissel Wald guides us safely through a diverse landscape of religious and political contradictions… If the standard is factual accuracy and the reliable reproduction of the stories of the interviewees, then Sidissel Wald stands firmly in my opinion with her well-written and insightful contribution to understanding the conflicts inherent in Israeli society.”