The Battle of Beirut is not confined to a study of the war. It is an important account of Israel's political strategy, which clearly aims at the destruction of the Palestinians as a viable political community and the permanent alteration of the frontiers and structure of the Arab states of the region. More briefly, it is a study of American policy at a particular moment in history. Jansen's conclusions are clear: Israel won the military battle against the PLO and the Lebanese National Movement, has caused an enormous damage to the Palestinians and the Lebanese population, mutilated Lebanon and weakened its structural basis. She gives reasonable data to show the extent of human and material damage. -- From http://www. jstor. org (Sep. 15, 2016).