Israel has become the most reviled of states; and the international Left—world church bodies, British labor unions, American human rights groups and the like—has been especially vociferous in its condemnations. But, ironically, Israel''s humane accomplishments in the very realms that the Left most cherishes compare favorably with those of most other countries. This is especially true if Israel is compared with other countries in its region, or with other countries under external duress, or with the other states born after World War Two that have so often stumbled at nation-building. In Liberal Oasis: The Truth About Israel, Joshua Muravchik marshals a wealth of hard data, livened with telling anecdotes, to show that in the achievement of liberty, equality, fraternity, Israel is one of the world''s most remarkable and admirable societies.
