On May 14, 1948, the United States became the first nation to recognize the State of Israel just moments after sovereignty had been declared in Jerusalem. But it was hardly a foregone conclusion that America would welcome the creation of this new country. President Harry S. Truman admitted that no issue was “more controversial or more complex than the problem of Israel.” Based on never-before-used archival material, A Safe Haven is the most complete account to date of the events that led to this historic occasion. Authors Allis and Ronald Radosh explore the national and global pressures bearing on Truman and the people – including the worldwide Jewish community, key White House advisers, the State Department, the British, the Arabs, and the representatives of the new United Nations – whose influence, on both sides, led to his decision. The Radoshes capture the dramatic intersection of a presidential decision that has had immense historical consequences and the thrilling intricacies of political intrigue with remarkable narrative skill.Impeccably researched, brilliantly told, A Safe Haven is a suspenseful, moment-by-moment re-creation of this crossroads in U.S.-Israeli relations and Middle Eastern politics.