Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 178
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-4422-5858-7 • Hardback • April 2016 • $51.00 • (£39.00)
978-1-4422-5859-4 • eBook • April 2016 • $48.50 • (£37.00)
Yossi Alpher was an officer in Israeli military intelligence, followed by twelve years of service in the Mossad. Until 1995, he was director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University. In July 2000, he served as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Israel during the Camp David talks. From 2001 to 2012 he was coeditor of the bitterlemons.net family of internet publications. He is the author of Periphery: Israel's Search for Middle East Allies (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015).
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Maps:
1. Israel, Palestinian territories, surrounding states;
2. Areas A, B and C in the West Bank;
3. Jerusalem West and East (as defined by Israel’s 1967 annexation)
Chapter 1: Rachel, or the Arab-Jewish divide
Part I: Contemporary Israel
Chapter 2: After nearly 50 years of occupation: how the world increasingly sees Israel
Chapter 3: The emerging social-political-demographic challenge to Israeli internal cohesiveness
Chapter 4: The global Jewish factor: the Diaspora, anti-Semitism
Chapter 5: The region: dealing with a bad neighborhood
Chapter 6: Resolving the Palestinian issue 1936 to 2009: a dynamic of failure
Chapter 7: Lessons from Kerry's failure and the American role
Part II: Israel Tomorrow
Chapter 8: Are there alternative ways to muddle through?
Chapter 9: On the slippery slope toward a bi-national Israel
Chapter 10: Summarizing the strategic ramifications of the quasi-apartheid schemes
Chapter 11: Are there radical alternative realities?
Alpher’s compelling new book, No End of Conflict, focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an attempt to restore the centrality of an issue he feels is being neglected, and in it he looks at Israel’s growing relations with the Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, that are born in part of a shared fear of Iran.
— The Guardian
[No End of Conflict: Rethinking Israel-Palestine is a] well-informed, thoughtful analysis.
— The Arab Weekly
Alpher allows readers to extrapolate and consider just how far the political elites are from understanding the reality of asymmetrical warfare, its escalating global application and its increasing menace. This work will add to the existing body of literature dealing with these most intricate of topics, and is significantly enhanced by Alpher’s rich experience in the field. Both experts and casual readers will enjoy Alpher’s analysis and the book should be read without prejudice.
— International Affairs
No End of Conflict – Rethinking Israel-Palestine by Yossi Alpher is an important read for anyone seeking clarity about the past and future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.... This book will challenge readers to think differently about this seemingly intractable conflict and what might be necessary to address the many concrete pragmatic issues (post-1967) between Israel and the Palestinians before it is too late and a one-state bi-national entity destroys Jewish and Zionist dreams.
— The Jewish Journal
There is an old joke about a Jewish telegram that reads, 'Start worrying, details to follow.' For anyone who still harbors the belief that a conflict-ending agreement can be reached soon between Israel and the Palestinians, start worrying. Yossi Alpher’s latest book provides a plethora of details explaining why, tragically, it just isn’t going to happen.... Will the Israeli public, looking into the abyss, elect a more progressive government? Will the Arab states, fearing Iran and radical Islam, find common ground with Israel in the absence of improvement in the Palestinian situation? Will some unforeseen cataclysmic event reshuffle the cards altogether? All of these scenarios are possible, though unlikely. This is not a feel-good read, but an essential one for those who care about Israel’s future as the democratic nation-state of the Jewish people.
— Hadassah Magazine
[This book is a] highly personalized account.... No End of Conflict adds to the decades-old literature of introspection and stock-taking by Israelis and Jews regarding the direction of the Zionist project.
— Middle East Journal
[A] book that is well worth reading.
— Executive
A thoughtful and compelling analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conundrum by one of Israel’s most astute and veteran political and security analysts. Alpher doesn’t leave us with much hope but his trenchant shattering of illusions is worth the ride. A must-read for anyone interested in the problem of the much too promised land.
— Aaron David Miller, vice-president at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington and a former Middle East analyst and negotiator in Republican and Democratic Administrations
A sober account by one of Israel's premier security analysts and peace activists. Going beyond the conventional distinction between "doves" and "hawks," Alpher recognizes that there are at the moment no realistic chances for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to put an end to the conflict. Nonetheless, he suggests a number of possible options for partial steps, unilateral or negotiated, to avoid the continuing stalemate which he realistically views as endangering Israel's long term perspectives. Both Israelis and foreigners should listen carefully to Alpher's measured and wise suggestions.
— Shlomo Avineri, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, former Director-General of Israel's Foreign Ministry
This well written and carefully presented book should be read both by the non-proliferation wonks and those interested in a careful analysis of the key elements of the future of the Middle East. It takes a deep historical look at Arab-Israeli differences and conflicts and seeks to discover and elucidate clearly and openly the reasons for failure and as well the central questions that must be tackled by both sides to achieve success. Alpher opens new ground in presenting 5 options for the future along with the challenges in making them work. His bottom line: efforts to maintain a status quo or to set the issue aside will only lead to more damaging consequences.
— Thomas R. Pickering, former US Under Secretary of State and Ambassador to Israel, Jordan, Russia and the United Nations