Israel: What Went Wrong?

by Omer Bartov

A leading Israeli American scholar of the Holocaust explores and explains his native country's intensifying turn toward violence and exclusion.

The distinguished historian Omer Bartov was born on a kibbutz, grew up in Tel Aviv, and served in the Israel Defense Forces during the Yom Kippur War. He went on to become a leading scholar of the German army and the Holocaust, before turning his attention to his native country.

In What Went Wrong?, Bartov sketches the tragic transformation of Zionism, a movement that sought to emancipate European Jewry from oppression, into a state ideology of ethno-nationalism. How is it possible, he asks, that a state founded in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust, an event that gave legitimacy to a national home for the Jews, stands credibly accused of perpetrating large-scale war crimes? How do we come to terms with the fact that Israel’s war of destruction is being conducted with the support, laced with denial and indifference, of so many of its Jewish citizens?

Tracing the roots of the violent events currently unfolding in Israel and the occupied territories, Bartov tracks his country's moral tribulations and considers the origins of Zionism, the intertwining of Israel’s independence with Palestinian displacement, the politics of the Holocaust, controversies over the term "genocide," and the uncertain future. The result is a searing and urgent critique that addresses today’s debates over Zionism and the future of Israel with rigor and depth.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 21, 2026

About the author

Omer Bartov is an Israeli-born historian. He is the Samuel Pisar Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University, where he has taught since 2000. Bartov is a noted historian of the Holocaust and is considered one of the world's leading authorities on the subject of genocide.

Reviews

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tough book which deals with the sensitive issue of Israel's actions in Gaza since 7 October 2023. I was curious to read an academic perspective as I often find myself unsure and confused by the information relayed by the media and by the actions of other governments who clearly have political allegiances.
This book explored current day and developed my understanding of the history of Israel as a nation. It explores the impact of the Holocaust on the actions and thoughts of multiple parties. It also calls out the importance of international law in holding individual, governments and nations to account. In this case in relation to the genocide in Gaza. It also explores the history of Israel, Zionism, the judiciary and the lack of a constitution.
I did find this a troubling read and it's not an easy read because of the topic. However it made me have a greater understanding of the situation and to reflect on what I could do differently in the event that this happens again. If you are at all curious about the current state of Israel, it's history and context then I would absolutely suggest this book.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book in return for an objective review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Israeli-born American Holocaust and genocide scholar Omer Bartov has reluctantly and methodically come to the conclusion that the Israeli war on Gaza is a genocide. This book is about the journey to his conclusion - which in many ways reminds me of the more conservative climate scientists who saw the signs, but waited before stating that the evidence of CO2-caused climate change was incontrovertible. His arguments deserve to be read by everyone with an interest in the issue, even those who vehemently disagree. I, personally, found his arguments utterly convincing. Bartov is no apologist for the nature of Hamas or for the heinous crimes of October 7, but the topic of this concise book is Israel and the actions that they have controlled or can control in the future.

Along the way we get: the history and legacy of the Nakba - the forcible displacement of numerous Palestinians in 1948 from what would become Israel; the uses and the abuses of the memory of the Holocaust; the failure of Israel to live up to the ideal of equality for its citizens (tied to the lack of a constitution); Israeli settlers committing anti-Arab pogroms in the West Bank with no accountability; and the recent redefining of anti-semitism to include anti-Zionism.

Regarding the use of the Holocaust, I was particularly touched by Bartov's discussion of the phrase "Never Again". As a secular Jew and the son of holocaust survivors I had always interpreted this as a universalist message imparting a special obligation to Jews to make sure that this never happened again to anyone including Jews. Instead the "Never Again" mantra is now often interpreted as meaning Never Again to the Jews and by any means necessary including acts of immense cruelty.

I read this on an egalley immediately after reading Peter Beinart's book, Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza, which in less depth covers much of the same ground. Neither book brought up Hamas's culpability in the destruction of Gaza due to Israel's reaction to October 7 being so utterly predictable. If I could predict Israel's reaction, Hamas must have been able to as well. So the question is: Is Israel falling into Hamas's trap? They certainly are losing their stature in the world and considerable support amongst their best friends including US Jewry. And if this was indeed a trap, Hamas's willingness to sacrifice its populace and infrastructure in exchange for some twisted long game certainly needs to be examined.

All books like this must end with possible solutions to the current dilemma. Like many, Bartov believes the best solution would be two confederated states with Jewish and Palestinian identities. It sounds like a good idea, but if the author was trying to end on an optimistic note it certainly didn't work for me.

Thanks to FSG and netgalley for providing me a copy for early review, in this case nearly 7 months in advance. And since this is an unusually long goodreads and netgalley review for me, thanks to anyone who read to the end.

[Chelsea Knowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Israel: What Went Wrong explains Zionism and the history behind the state of Israel. Bartov discusses the historical impact of the Holocaust on Israel and European Jewry in particular. The main question throughout this book is how can Israel legitimise the conflict with Palestine after the Holocaust and genocide of the Jews. Furthermore how can some Israeli civilians and supporters of Israel justify alleged war crimes against the Palestinian people. Bartov himself served in the IDF during the Yom Kippur War, grew up in Tel Aviv and is a scholar of the Holocaust so his perspective is incredibly nuanced and important.

I really appreciate this book and respect what Bartov has done in this book. This book explains Zionism and the formation of Israel in a way that’s easy to understand. I found this book to be compulsively readable and I think people could pick this up without knowing anything about Israel/Palestine. I found this to be a very enjoyable read simply because it is interesting and the writing isn’t dry like some non-fiction books can be. I also found this to be an important book because of the author’s own experience serving in the IDF. I will be recommending this and I think this is a necessary read to understand what’s going on in Israel/Palestine.

[Iza Cupial · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Margaret Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Library Journal. My professional review is unrelated to my Goodreads rating.