The Struggle For Peace In The Middle East

Positioned at the intersections of faiths and continents, of competing global powers and nationalisms peace in the Middle East has been elusive from the mid-20th century to the present day. Balanced and measured in its assessments, this student book explores the origins of the conflicts in the modern Middle East from the time of the inter-war mandates to the early 21st century. It considers the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Persian Gulf wars, Syria and Lebanon.

An Arab diplomat analyzes the history of the relations between Israel and the Arab countries and describes his involvement in the efforts to achieve a peaceful solution.

From the John Holmes Library collection.

With new talks in the Middle East Peace Process about to begin, the shadows of previous negotiations fall heavily across all involved. In this powerful and absorbing testimony, one of leading figures of the Oslo talks, former Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie ('Abu Ala') takes us behind closed doors and inside the negotiating rooms of Wye River, Stockholm and Camp David, where the terms of peace and a Palestinian state were sketched out, argued over, and eventually lost. Larger than life figures emerge from the minutes of these dramatic meetings - released here for the first time. Qurei recounts both the Israelis' intractability and the dynamic inside the Palestinian camp with candour and insight. This indispensable first-hand account provides a completely new perspective on the history, issues and personalities that will determine the future of the Middle East.

The study reviews the progress made toward Arab-Israeli peace between 1991 and 1995 and the dramatic setbacks that occurred in 1996. It also assesses the challenges ahead and provides a country-by-country analysis of criticisms of the peace process.

In Syria and the Middle East Peace Process, Alasdair Drysdale and Raymond A. Hinnebusch, two noted Middle East scholars, present the first detailed examination of Syria's role in the long struggle for an Arab-Israeli peace. They paint a surprising portrait of a county whose power is out of proportion to its size, economy, and resources. They explore the reasons behind this phenomeno most importantly, the Machiavellian brilliance of its leader, Hafez al-Asad. The authors address the origins of the Asad regime, Syrias strategy toward its Arab neighbors, its conflict with Israel, and the history of its relationships with the Soviet Union and the United States. The authors argue forcefully that Syrian involvement is vital in an effort to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.