This work investigates the clandestine political collaboration between King Abdullah of Transjordan and the Zionist leadership regarding the partition of Palestine between 1921 and 1951. Avi Shlaim, a prominent historian of the Middle East, utilizes declassified archival materials and primary diplomatic correspondence to challenge traditional narratives of the 1948 war. The book argues that a tacit agreement existed between the Hashemite monarchy and the Zionist movement to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian Arab state, thereby shaping the geopolitical landscape of the region.

Scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the revisionist perspective on the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Readers often note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous reliance on primary documentation to support the author's arguments.