The Israeli Labour Party and its forerunner Mapai dominated the pre-state Jewish organisations in Palestine and the early years of the State of Israel. More recently the party has been at the centre of world attention as attempts at peace between the left-wing Israeli government and the PLO have been threatened by the murder in November 1995 of its leader Yitzhak Rabin and the electoral defeat in 1996 of his successor Shimon Peres. This book analyses the development of the Labour Party from its origins in the Israeli labour movement at the turn of the last century up to the present day. In bringing the study right up to date, Dr Lochery discusses the Labour Party’s attempts to secure peace In the Middle East and the problems of dealing with a sceptical and divided society. The book draws on an extensive range of personal interviews with major political figures in Israel, including past and present prime ministers and on previously unpublished documents to which Dr Lochery gained access through his extensive work in the Knesset.