In this thought-provoking and meticulously researched examination of the Middle Easts troubled history, charismatic, conservative, and sometimes controversial Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu traces the origins, development, and politics of Israels relationship with the Arab world and the West. Passionate and forceful, Mr. Netanyahu argues that Israels situation remains precarious, and that the Arabs, in conjunction with much of the world, have forced Israel to shrink to one-fifth of the land originally promised to the Jewish people. Tightly reasoned and filled with unique insights into current affairs, this is a powerful statement from a strong voice in world politics.
Benjamin Netanyahu's primer on pro-Israel politics is an updated version of an earlier book, A Place Among the Nations. There's a good reason for the revision, of course: in the years since the first book was published, Netanyahu has served as the prime minister of Israel. Yet A Durable Peace is not a stale politician's memoir. It's a resounding plea for Israel's acceptance as a full member of the world community, as well as a call for understanding its unique security needs.
Netanyahu displays his knack--perfect for the television era but also helpful on these pages--for channeling complex ideas into pithy statements. Here's Netanyahu on the importance of Israel to the Jewish people: "If there had been a Jewish state in the first half of the [20th] century, there would have been no Holocaust. And if there had not been a Jewish state after the Holocaust, there would have been no Jewish future." On the need for Arab concessions in the peace process: "For the sake of peace, [the Arab states] must renounce their claims to part of the four ten-thousandths--.0004--of the lands they desire, which constitute the very heart of the Jewish homeland and the protective wall of the Jewish state." These are the statements of a skilled debater, and they represent a one-sided view of Middle Eastern politics. Yet Netanyahu also provides an excellent introduction to Zionism and the need to protect a small country against neighbors who have waged war against it. --John J. Miller
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
BOOK REVIEW:
The book is in excellent condition. No one would know I did not buy it new. Delivery was a little longer than I had anticipated, but still within the prescribed time for delivery.
Disturbing Views by the Once and Future Prime Minister:
The language of this political manifesto is quite elegant. If the Prime Minister-designate actually wrote it then he is a master of written English. Some sharp insights in human nature also appear here and there, such as the observation--in the section on the **Intifadas**--that democratic peoples do not like violence and do not like soldiers. Very good! All the same, this is a polemic of the Israeli Right, replete with distortions and dangerous half-truths. In reprising the history of the State of... more info
A Great book by a Great World Leader.:
This is indeed a book every one should read. The Prime Minister defines the problem and solution with Moral Clarity. In Saudi Arabia, heads roll for sodomy, armed robbery, murder, and for being a Christian. Some Christians were beheaded after having been falsely accused of drugs or other crimes reportedly as benign as leading a Bible study or offering prayers. Saudis that convert to Christianity, or desert Islam, are subject to the death penalty, as well. Those condemned to death are taken... more info
Clear and articulate:
Netanyahu presents a well-reasoned case for the Jewish State challenging the conventional wisdom in the West, the Arab world and Israel itself. Well-balanced history of the Arab-Israeli conflict; well worth the read.
