Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

For the Future of Israel

Rate this book
One of the greatest recent moments in the annals of peace during a century deeply marred by war and its atrocities was the handshake between longtime enemies Yitzak Rabin and Yassir Arafat in Washington, D.C., in 1993. Signifying a new era for the Middle East, the handshake was the public culmination of painstaking negotiations carried out by Shimon Peres, then Foreign Minister of Israel, and Palestinian representatives in Oslo, Norway. For their efforts, Rabin, Peres, and Arafat won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

May, 1998, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Israel. For the Future of Israel reveals the character of a leader who participated in the birth of his country and whose thoughts remain ever on the future--on the basis and prospects for peace. In five conversations with novelist and former Newsweek correspondent Robert Littell, Peres reflects on his youth in shtetl and kibbutz, the impact of the Holocaust on world affairs, what it means to be a Jew, and the ongoing struggle to end terrorism and forge peace between Israel and its neighbors. Completed in late 1996 and 1997, the interviews reflect the changed state of Israel since the assassination of Yitzak Rabin (after which Peres was named Prime Minister and Defense Minister) and the subsequent election of a Likud-led government in Israel and its renegotiation of aspects of the Oslo agreements.

Peres speaks candidly of his negotiations with Arafat and of his close, complementary relationship with Rabin. Ranging widely over the last fifty years, he ponders the effect of the occupation of the territories on the character of his country. He gives his views on public figures he has known (among them BenGurion, Mitterand, Reagan, Netanyahu, Yeltsin, and Clinton), the qualities of good leadership, and the dangers of fundamentalism and religious parties. He describes his approach to negotiations, one that sharply contrasts with those who believe that the terms of peace must be dictated: "To achieve peace, you cannot impose your position or any position--you have to urge parties to come to a position."He conveys his belief that the future of peace for Israel lies in replacing the unifying force of war with the unifying strength of a constitution and ethics.

This book is Peres' testament to the highest qualities of Israel and a thorough presentation of his deeply considered views on what must be done to preserve the country's spiritual and political aspirations.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 20, 1998

58 people want to read

About the author

Shimon Peres

60 books49 followers
Polish-Israeli political leader Shimon Peres served as prime minister from 1984 to 1986, negotiated with the Palestine liberation organization, therefore shared the Nobel Prize of 1994 for peace, and returned from 1995 to 1996.

Yasir Arafat shared the Nobel Prize of 1994 for peace with Yitzhak Rabin and Peres.



Shimon Peres, a statesman served as the ninth president from 2007 to 2014. Peres served twice as interim and as a member of 12 cabinets in a career, spanning more than 66 years. People elected Peres to the Knesset in November 1959 and continued except a three-month-long hiatus in early 2006 until 2007, when he held role of president for another seven years. He, the oldest head of state of the world at the time, retired in 2014. People considered this last link to founding generation.

From a young age, his brilliant oratory attracted renown. He began his career in the late 1940s and during and directly after war of independence held several diplomatic and military positions.

He attained his first high-level government position as deputy director-general of defense in 1952 at the age of 28 years and from 1953 served as director-general until 1959. In the 1950s, Anthony Eden of Britain described the protocol of Sèvres as the "highest form of statesmanship," and Peres took part.

Peres participated in the foreign talks that with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat produced the accords at Oslo.
During his career, he represented Mapai, Rafi, alignment, Labor, and Kadima parties in the Knesset. In his private life, he, a poet, wrote stanzas during cabinet meetings and later turned some poems into songs. From prophets of Old Testament, French literature, and Chinese philosophy, he as a result of his deep interests ably quoted with equal ease.

Following a massive stroke and two weeks of hospitalization at the Sheba medical center near Tel-Aviv, Peres died.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
3 (21%)
4 stars
2 (14%)
3 stars
5 (35%)
2 stars
4 (28%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 of 1 review
Profile Image for 15.
67 reviews5 followers
March 29, 2019
نشر هذا الكتاب في مرحلة السلام وحلول التسوية ووهم التعايش مع دولة الإحتلال ومن المذهل -وأنت تقرأ- أنّ المحتل لايأبه -ولو قليلاً- بأكثر الأشياء بداهة بكل مايتعلق بالحق العربي في فلسطين و هنا السيد بيريز يمثل أكثر زعماء الإحتلال اعتدالاً وحكمة... هل بقي أحد يشك أن ما أخذ بالقوة لايسترد إلا بالقوة وأن المقاومة هي الحل.

الحق سيعود إلى اصحابه و فلسطين هي الباقية، وكل ماعداها إلى زوال
Displaying 1 of 1 review

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.