Elusive Peace

by Ahron Bregman

Ehud Barak's election as Prime Minister of Israel on 17th May 1999 and his determination to conclude a peace deal with the Palestinians inspired both Israeli voters and the international community. So where did it all go wrong? How did it end, less than two years later, in the total failure of Barak's peace efforts, his defeat at the polls and ejection from office? How did he open the way not to peace, but to Ariel Sharon? Drawing on exclusive interviews with all the major international figures involved, this book traces the history of the Middle East peace process from Barak's election, through the peace talks at Camp David to the current Road Map. It illuminates the characters of Clinton, Arafat, Sharon and many others, and offers many insights into one of the most complex political situations in the world today.

Paperback

First published September 29, 2005

Reviews

[Nicko · Rating 3 out of 5]

The peace talks that started with high hopes, only to unravel and collapse. The issues are big, and emotions are high on both sides. The role that President Clinton played to bring about peace among the parties was untiring and painstaking, and shows what a statesman he was. Unfortunately, the two parties could not make history and transcend their own emotions and could not be straightforward and honest with each other. This is a great history lesson.