Avi Shlaim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Avi Shlaim
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| אבי שליים أفي شلايم |
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Shlaim in 2015
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| Born | 31 October 1945 Baghdad, Kingdom of Iraq
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| Spouse(s) |
Gwyneth Daniel
(m. 1973) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | British Academy Medal (2017) |
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| Thesis | The United States and the Berlin Blockade, 1948–1949: A Study in Crisis Decision Making (1980) |
Avi Shlaim (born October 31, 1945) is a well-known historian from both Israel and Britain. His family came from Iraq. He is part of a group called the "New Historians" in Israel. These historians look at the history of Zionism (the movement to create a Jewish state) and Israel with a fresh, often critical, view.
About Avi Shlaim
Avi Shlaim was born in Baghdad, which was then part of the Kingdom of Iraq. His parents were wealthy Jewish people.
In the 1930s, life became harder for Jewish people in Iraq. This was because of the rise of Arab nationalism, a strong feeling of pride in Arab identity. At the same time, Zionism, a movement for Jewish people to have their own country, was also growing. After Arab armies lost a war in 1948 and Israel became an independent country, Jewish people in Iraq faced more difficulties.
In 1951, Avi Shlaim's family, like most Jewish families in Iraq, decided to move to Israel. They had to give up their Iraqi citizenship and lost all their belongings. They moved to Israel during an event called Operation Ezra and Nehemiah.
Avi Shlaim grew up in a place called Ramat Gan in Israel. When he was 16, he moved to England to study at a Jewish school. He returned to Israel in 1964 to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (the Israeli army). In 1966, he moved back to England to study history at Jesus College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1969. He then got a master's degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics in 1970 and a PhD from the University of Reading. He taught politics at the University of Reading from 1970 to 1987.
He married the great-granddaughter of David Lloyd George, who was the British Prime Minister when the Balfour Declaration was made. This declaration supported the idea of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Avi Shlaim has lived in the United Kingdom since 1966 and is a citizen of both Britain and Israel.
His Work as a Historian
Avi Shlaim taught about international relations at Reading University, focusing on European topics. He became interested in the history of Israel in 1982. This was when the Israeli government opened up its old records about the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. His interest grew even more when he became a fellow at St Antony's College, Oxford, in 1987.
At Oxford, he was a special reader in international relations from 1987 to 1996. He also directed graduate studies in that subject for several years. He held research positions with the British Academy in 1995–97 and 2003–2006.
Avi Shlaim believes that a historian's main job is not just to tell what happened, but to check if it's true. He thinks historians should carefully examine what everyone says and reject any claims that aren't supported by facts, even if people really want to believe them.
Avi Shlaim's Opinions
Avi Shlaim often writes for The Guardian newspaper. In 2009, he signed a letter in that paper that criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza War.
He has also written in The Spectator magazine. He called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu someone who believes in "permanent conflict." Shlaim said Netanyahu's policies try to stop a peaceful solution with the Palestinians. He also said that Israel's foreign policy supported the stability of Arab leaders rather than new democratic movements during the Arab Spring.
Avi Shlaim is a member of the UK Labour Party. In 2015, he signed a letter that criticized The Jewish Chronicle newspaper. The letter was about the newspaper's reports on Jeremy Corbyn's connections with people accused of antisemitism.
In his book, Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew, Shlaim discusses his belief that there is "undeniable proof of Zionist involvement in the terrorist attacks" that caused many Jews to leave Iraq between 1950 and 1951. He thinks that most of the bombings against Jews in Iraq were carried out by Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency. He believes these actions were meant to speed up the move of 110,000 Jews from Iraq to the new state of Israel.
Awards and Recognition
In 2006, Avi Shlaim was chosen as a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA). This is a great honor from the United Kingdom's national group for humanities and social sciences.
On September 27, 2017, he received the British Academy Medal. This award is given for a person's achievements throughout their life.
In 2024, Avi Shlaim won the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize for his memoir, "Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew (Oneworld)".
