A State at Any Cost

The definitive biography of Israel''s founder by one of Israel''s most celebrated historians. As the founder of Israel, David Ben-Gurion long ago secured his reputation as a leading figure of the twentieth century. Determined from an early age to create a Jewish state, he took control of the Zionist movement, declared Israel''s independence, and navigated his country through wars, controversies and remarkable achievements.In this definitive biography, Tom Segev uses previously unreleased archival material to give an original, nuanced account that transcends the myths and legends that have built up around the man. He reveals Ben-Gurion''s secret negotiations with the British on the eve of Israel''s independence, his willingness to countenance the forced transfer of Arab neighbors, his relative indifference to Jerusalem, and his occasional eccentric moments ¿ from UFO sightings to plans for Israel to acquire territory in South America.The result is a full and startling portrait of a man