Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding summary of Israel's position in the modern world
Review: Of all the books I've read about Israel and the Middle East, this is the best one yet. Netanyahu's very thorough documentation and analysis of Israel and its place among the nations reveals a keen understanding of every aspect of Israel's existence and the problems it faces, from socioeconomic to geopolitical. His detailed study of the problem of national security is a compelling and insightful one which draws the reader to the same conclusion as his own: giving up any more territory from the Golan, Gaza, or the West Bank would gravely jeopardize Israel's ability to defend itself. Netanyahu's analysis of Israel's comparative size among the Arab nations is also relevant as a factor of credibility in garnering sympathy for Israel. I highly recommend this book to any serious or casual student of middle eastern affairs.
Rating:
Summary: Netanyahu at his best!
Review: One cannot be near Benjamin Netanyahu without the feeling of being in the presence of greatness. There can be little doubt, that in the annals of history, the former Israeli Prime Minister will be remembered as one of the great leaders of our time.
In typical fashion, Netanyahu takes the reader to the point, quickly and decisively. The truth is meticulously outlined and even ardent detractors would be challenged to find one word of this fine work to be disputable and not based on fact. Whether you are an avid follower of the problems in the Middle East, or if you can't even locate Israel on a map, but want to find out the truth about what is going on in Israel, this book is a must read. This may well be Mr. Netanyahu's best book yet.
Rating: 
Summary: How to live among those who don't want you to
Review: The very intelligent and articulate Benjamin Netanyahu makes a powerful case for Israel's "stand firm" policies against its enemies and detractors. The former prime minister pointed out why, with ample historical and analytical evidence, Jews have a strong claim on their homeland, the Palestine problem as a root cause of Mideast unrest is fallacious, a pre-1967 border is not sustainable security-wise for Israel, and why the media of the West has developed a pro-Arab, pro-Palestinian stance (liberalism cum love-of-the-underdog mentality.) Netanyahu also painstakingly explained the Arab and Islamic history culture in terms of factional (tribal) loyalty and the unfortunate, ingrained, hostility toward Jews, culminating in his model of two types of peace: peace among democracies and peace by deterrence. Netanyahu concluded, quite convincingly, that the latter was what Israel can hope for in the foreseeable future, and hence it is essential for Israel to be powerful and constantly vigilant. Though quite hawkish in tone, Netanyahu made an impressionable point that Israel's goal is for peaceful coexistence with, and not the subjugation of, its neighbors. The return of the Sinai to Egypt in exchange for a peace treaty was cited as a powerful testimony. Also, he candidly pointed out some of the shortcomings of the Israeli policies, as well as the diversity of opinions within the Israelis. This book is admittedly one-sided in its selection of facts and data, but they are basically factual, if skillfully put through a prism to fit the former prime minister's thesis. Overall, though, it is a very well written book - rich in material, logical in its analysis, powerful in its arguments, and witty in appropriate places to make reading interesting. This is one of several books I have read from various angles on this complex, controversial and immensely emotional and deadly conflict. It may very well be regarded as an authoritative view from the Israeli point of view. As such, this point of view must be fully appreciated by anyone, be it career politician or armchair guru, who wants to fathom an end to this conflict. A last word of caution: you cannot get a fair and complete picture of this conflict by reading just one book or listening to just one voice. If, however, that is all the time you have, I would recommend Thomas Friedman's "From Beirut to Jerusalem."
Rating: 
Summary: Eloquent, Yet Unconvincing
Review: This book eloquently represents the position of the extreme Israeli right-wing. Despite it's eloquence, it does little to convince readers of the author's vision for "peace". The primary thesis of "A Durable Peace" has been mentioned before in other publications by the Israeli right-wing, namely: "Israel is a small country surrounded by large enemies; Israel cannot let go of the West Bank for security reasons; Israel has offered much for peace and gotten little, a Palestinian state represent a threat to Israel's existence, etc.". Someone who doesn't know much about the issues may be taken by the eloquence of Netanyahu into supporting this view of peace, in which Israel continues to dominate over everyone else in the Middle East. In order for the argument to be more convincing, however, I would like to see a deeper analysis than what "A Durable Peace" makes. "A Durable Peace" lacks merit because many of the assumptions it makes are far from reality, for example, the book overlooks the obvious fact that half of his so-called Arab "enemies of Israel" actually signed peace treaties with Israel and have respected them ever since. The book also ignores the vast arsenal of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons whose deterrent value makes the need for "secure borders" irrelevant. Furthermore Netanyahu ignores his own constituency of Israeli extremists whose philosophy is "maximum land with minimum Arabs", meaning to expand and grab land, while forcing a "transfer" of two million Palestinians out of the West Bank and Gaza. This seems to directly contradict the image of a "peaceful Israel" that Netanyahu attempts to project in "A Durable Peace". Fundamentally, the book lacks any credibility because its definition of "peace" is contrary to all accepted mores - true peace has to be mutually negotiated and accepted by the parties involved, not imposed by one on the other. Yet the arguments in this book seem to completely neglect the fact that the other side, namely Palestinians, also has security needs, too, as well as other concerns such as basic human rights and at least an equally valid legal claim to the land. Therefore, while I am impressed by Netanyahu's writing and presenting skills, I am not convinced at all by the arguments. My conclusion from reading the book is that his vision of "peace" is untenable and simply won't work. For all these reasons I didn't think this book was worth the time I spent reading it. However if you must read it, I strongly recommend "This Side of Peace," By Hanan Ashrawi in order to add a little balance by exploring some of the other side's perspectives. "Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel", by Israel Shahak and Norton Mezvinsky is a good introduction to the right-wing elements of the Israeli population whom Netanyahu represents, and "The Samson Option" by Seymour Hersh is a good starter for understanding Israel's security issues more fully.
Rating:
Summary: Eloquent, Yet Unconvincing
Review: This book eloquently represents the position of the extreme Israeli right-wing. Despite it's eloquence, it does little to convince readers of the author's vision for "peace". The primary thesis of "A Durable Peace" has been mentioned before in other publications by the Israeli right-wing, namely: "Israel is a small country surrounded by large enemies; Israel cannot let go of the West Bank for security reasons; Israel has offered much for peace and gotten little, a Palestinian state represent a threat to Israel's existence, etc.". Someone who doesn't know much about the issues may be taken by the eloquence of Netanyahu into supporting this view of peace, in which Israel continues to dominate over everyone else in the Middle East. In order for the argument to be more convincing, however, I would like to see a deeper analysis than what "A Durable Peace" makes. "A Durable Peace" lacks merit because many of the assumptions it makes are far from reality, for example, the book overlooks the obvious fact that half of his so-called Arab "enemies of Israel" actually signed peace treaties with Israel and have respected them ever since. The book also ignores the vast arsenal of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons whose deterrent value makes the need for "secure borders" irrelevant. Furthermore Netanyahu ignores his own constituency of Israeli extremists whose philosophy is "maximum land with minimum Arabs", meaning to expand and grab land, while forcing a "transfer" of two million Palestinians out of the West Bank and Gaza. This seems to directly contradict the image of a "peaceful Israel" that Netanyahu attempts to project in "A Durable Peace". Fundamentally, the book lacks any credibility because its definition of "peace" is contrary to all accepted mores - true peace has to be mutually negotiated and accepted by the parties involved, not imposed by one on the other. Yet the arguments in this book seem to completely neglect the fact that the other side, namely Palestinians, also has security needs, too, as well as other concerns such as basic human rights and at least an equally valid legal claim to the land. Therefore, while I am impressed by Netanyahu's writing and presenting skills, I am not convinced at all by the arguments. My conclusion from reading the book is that his vision of "peace" is untenable and simply won't work. For all these reasons I didn't think this book was worth the time I spent reading it. However if you must read it, I strongly recommend "This Side of Peace," By Hanan Ashrawi in order to add a little balance by exploring some of the other side's perspectives. "Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel", by Israel Shahak and Norton Mezvinsky is a good introduction to the right-wing elements of the Israeli population whom Netanyahu represents, and "The Samson Option" by Seymour Hersh is a good starter for understanding Israel's security issues more fully.
Rating:
Summary: Strightforward presentation of the truth
Review: This honest , well balanced and comprehensive account of the circumstances in which Israel finds itself is essential for anyone interested in the truth about the Middle East .One by one Benjamin Neyanyahu strips away the lies that have come to characterise the unjust and hostile views in the world today about Israel and the Palestinians.Taking us the the history of the country we learn how the link of the Jewish people to the Promised Land has remained strong throughout history, how there have always been Jews living in Israel and that in period between the destruction of the Temple by the Romans and the creation of the modern Zionist movement there was always a significant Jewish presence
He explains how Britain and the world agreed to a Jewish homeland in the whole of Palestine which consisted of what is today Jordan , the West Bank (Judeo and Samaria) and the rest of Israel and 80% was cut off and awarded to the Arabs in 1922 creating the Hashemite Kingdom Jordan hence already giving the Palestinians their state?
Why should Israel which only consists of 20% of mandatory Palestine be further cut in half to create a second Palestinian state and a 22nd Arab nation
It is impossible to cover all the worthwhile points illustrated in this book but we also learn how there never was a Palestinian nation and the name Palestinian was only adopted in recent decades as distinct identity among Arabs
He points out the double standards prevalent in the world today,a world which so strongly condemns the only democracy in the middle East for surviving while turning a blind eye to the horrific human rights abuses in the Arab world (and elsewhere):
'This is the root of the infamous , twisted standard by which the Arabs remain completely blameless for expelling hundreds of thousands of people -as Saudi Arabia did to its Yemenis in 1990 and Kuwait did to its Palestinians in 1991- while Israel is excoriated for deporting a cadre of terrorists or by which Israel is condemned for maintaining the presence of a few hundred soldiers in a six mile sliver of Lebanon while Syria annexes almost the entire rest of the same country ;or by which Saudi Arabia and Jordanian apartheid laws forbidding Jewish residence go unnoticed ; while Israel , whose Arab citizens are freer than those of Arab states , is accused of racism for quelling riots'
He explains how anti-Israel sentiments are a result of a wider hatred of the West and a ll it stands for like democracy , freedom and Judaeo-Christian values.While one is left with frustration at the gross injustice of the hate campaign -stronger today than ever- against Israel - he also leaves the reader with hope as he explains how Israel CAN prevail and how REAL peace can be achieved.His knowledge and straightforward presentation of the truth is a pleasure to read
Rating:
Summary: honest and thoughtful
Review: this is a beautifully written book by a brilliant man who is passionate about Israel and the Jewish People.The kind of book that will inform you but not inflame you.A real keeper.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific book
Review: This is a brilliant book about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Had people heeded the simple facts it reminds us all of, perhaps the disastrous "Oslo" agreements (and even more disastrous insistence on enforcing only the demands upon Israel, not upon the Arabs) might have been avoided.
The author of this book became the Prime Minister of Israel, and thus the book shows that no one can stand up to the counterproductive pressure that is being applied to Israel. That's bad news for all sides in this dispute unless those of us who wish to resolve the conflict decide to value truth.
Netanyahu starts by reminding us of Israel's size. That's a major point. Given the number of Jews, it is sobering to realize just how little sovereign land they have, and just how little value that land has. It tells us quickly that if one side is being greedy in this conflict, it sure isn't Israel. Netanyhau also reminds us that the land promised to the Jews as a national homeland (not necessarily a state, just land on which Jews would have permanent rights, including rights of immigration) was five times as parge as present-day Israel. Again, exactly which side is being greedy?
The author then traces the history of Zionism, refuting a well-known lie by Arafat that the Zionists stole a verdant land from its age-old native Arab inhabitants. And he then gives a history of the British Mandate, which ended with the British openly supporting Arab opponents of Jewish rights.
Now we get to the meat of the book, namely a refutation of some truly absurd and arbitrary lies that many readers will find tough to believe were ever seriously proposed. The first is "the theory of Palestinian centrality." This is a claim that if one solves the problem of the Levantine Arabs, one can achieve peace in the Middle East! Netanyahu establishes that many people really say this, and he refutes them.
The next Big Lie is a "reversal of causality." It states that the problems of Levantine Arabs are a cause of the Arab attacks on Israel, not a result of them. The author disposes of this lie as well. Once again, the hard part is showing just how seriously some folks repeat this lie.
Next, Netanyahu discusses the problem of the PLO, a terrorist group that claims to be the sole representative of Levantine Arabs. He quite properly calls it a "Trojan horse." And he shows that establishing it as a state in the region is a counterproductive and immoral idea.
The author then addresses the question of how peace can be achieved. He says that for there to be peace, the Arab side must become convinced that aggression will have negative consequences. If most Arabs become convinced of that, they may decide that Israel has a right to exist after all, and that human rights for Jews are not an affront and a casus belli. From here, he argues that Israel needs some strategic depth, otherwise the temptation for Arabs to try to overwhelm it will be irresistable.
Netanyahu then discusses "the demographic demon." He makes some good points here. I think many people use demographics as a preposterous argument that runs something like this: Israel has a vast Empire of nearly 10,000 square miles. Obviously, that is way too big for a mere 11 million Jews, only 5 million of whom live in Israel. Yes, if nature takes its course, the tiny group of Jews will be overwhelmed in numbers by real people, who will outvote them. The tiny group of Jewish oppressors will get what they deserve. They will lose their vast Empire. They ought to quit now, and give away all but a truly tiny amount of land, an amount they can afford!
Of course, both 5 million and 11 million are large numbers, especially when compared to the number of Arabs per square mile of Arab land. It is worth reading what Netanyahu has to say about the argument that Jews aren't numerous enough to have as big a nation as Israel!
Netanyahu concludes that "peace must be built on foundations of security, justice, and above all, truth." He's right. Truth has indeed, as he says, been the first casualty of the Arab war on Israel. He points out that the problem is not territorial but existential. And that the story is of a people seeking to establish its rightful place among the nations. I agree. If our society can't accept the existence of this nation, no nation is safe, and any of them could be the next target.
Rating:
Summary: Well written- great buy!
Review: This is an excellent, concise history lesson, which is extremely relevant to our times. You will never be neutral again after reading this book! Thoughtful and well written for a student of history or for a layman who doesn't know how Israel first came into being. I hope Mr. Netanyahu is re-elected to the prime minister seat.
Rating:
Summary: Complete overview Israel's effect among the nations
Review: This well documented book is a must for any person wishing to understand what effect has Israel's existance caused today among those who love and hate them. It has detailed information on the mentality and actions of those who have favored and opposed Israel. You will see what is the changing cause of animosity and terrorism agaisnt Israel. The information on this book will be very hard to read to a person who hates Israel. But he or she would benefit from reading it. In the end any person who reads this book will see the reasons why Israel must have place among the nations in spite of the diverse arguments available.
|
