This work investigates the clandestine diplomatic relationship between King Abdullah of Transjordan and the Zionist movement, specifically focusing on how their mutual interests shaped the partition of Palestine. Avi Shlaim, a prominent historian of the Middle East, utilizes declassified archival documents and primary source materials to challenge traditional narratives regarding the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The book argues that a tacit agreement existed between the Hashemite monarchy and Zionist leaders to divide Palestinian territory, effectively undermining the creation of an independent Palestinian state. By examining the strategic calculations of these actors, Shlaim provides a rigorous analysis of the geopolitical forces that defined the region's modern borders.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this text as a foundational study for understanding the complexities of Middle Eastern diplomacy during the mid-twentieth century. Readers often note the academic density of the prose and the meticulous nature of the author's archival research.