Without pronounced commitment to one or another of the parties involved, scholars distinguished in the fields of political science, history, sociology, and law reexamine, in this volume, the history and development of Palestine during the mandate period and the issues underlying the Arab-Israeli conflict. While these complex problems have often been explored and analyzed, the escalation of the conflict entitles the reader to an understanding of why, despite well-intentioned efforts, the issues have eluded reasonable solution. Such an understanding can be derived only from scholarship that is without reference to the passions that surround even the most rational discussions of the Arab-Israeli conflict.