by José María Aznar
Former President of the Government of Spain

Israel is a little nation with a great people. Unfortunately it has been under constant attack since its birth back in 1948. It was first assailed by armies of its Arab neighbors as in the 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s; struck later by hideous suicide bombers as in the 1990s and 2000s; inundated finally by a rain of rockets and terrorist drivers as today.

But make no mistake. What was and is at stake is not this or that policy of the government of Israel. Jerusalem itself seems instead to be the real prob- lem; the very existence of Israel is what is under threat. There may not be military forces trying to invade the country, but other less visible and differ- ently structured forces at play still seek the annihilation of the state of Israel. This delegitimization of Israel has many expressions but one goal: to make it impossible for Israel to exist as we know it, as the democratic and prosperous state of the Jewish people.

For years people of good faith genuinely believed that the narrative against Israel could be countered with better public relations. Despite all efforts in that front, the delegitimization campaigns have increased in number and extended in their reach. This book by Dr. Manfred Gerstenfeld shows clearly how much and how. The truth is that Israel today is still at war. Apparently a different war, for it is of an ideological nature, but it can indeed become as lethal as traditional wars. This book is a good analysis of the arguments and means used by those who want to suppress Israel through its delegitimization. As such it is an excellent contribution to better understanding the indirect attacks against Israel.

The problem for many in the West is that they fail to see that undermining Israel makes us more vulnerable as well. Israel is a mature democracy and the provider of many technical innovations. In today’s struggle when the forces against modernity are presenting a real challenge to our system and way of life, from the Islamic State to a nuclear Iran, Israel happens to be a centerpiece of Western civilization. That is why it is under constant assault, and why we should do everything in our power to allow Israel to remain strong, free, and prosperous. This book is an excellent contribution to doing just that.