On the same topic of Israeli history, here's an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education, the premier US periodical on academic life, on the difficulties of engaging in historiographical research among Israeli historians. One of the things it highlights is how historical facts can continue to remain contested, even in the face of credible documentary or other evidence. On such sensitive topics, will it ever be possible to actually arrive at an unbiased position on issues? How can historians ever distance themselves enough from their political inclinations, or, even more importantly, avoid being pushed in one corner or another on the basis of alleged political agendas? Any thoughts on these issues are more than welcome...