Israeli Politics and the Middle East Peace Process, 1988-2002 (Electronic book text)

This book argues that domestic Israeli politics have been a key factor in determining Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking in the period from 1988 to the present. It races developments over this period, showing how coalition-building, personalities, and differing views of how Israel should develop, and how Israel should interact with Palestinians, all had a crucial influence.
In particular, the book provides an explanation for the rise and decline of the peace process in the years between 1988 and 2002. During this period, Israel concluded the Oslo accords and a peace treaty with Jordan. Yet the second half of the period saw a major breakdown in the peace process. Part of the story is an understanding of certain key moments in the formation of Israeli thinking about moving towards a peace with the Palestinians. The study therefore examines the impact of the Intifada on Israeli thinking as well as detailing crucial turning points in domestic politics, such as Labour's electoral victory in 1992 and thesubsequent formation of the most dovish government in Israel's history. The book also pays attention to the politics of personality and the role of key figures, such as Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, in the politics which permitted Israel's move to peace. The most dramatic part of the story however, as the book argues, is that changing domestic political factors also led to the breakdown of the peace process. Overall, the book demonstrates that although external factors were certainly important, the decisions about peacemaking were rooted in the dynamic complex domestic politics of Israel.
The book is written by a Jordanian scholar, who draws on both primary source and interviewmaterial. It is suitable for students of the international relations of the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as everyone interested in the Middle East peace process.