Syria and Israel: From War to Peace-Making
This balanced history traces Syrian- Israeli relations from the war of 1948 through the tentative moves toward peace now under way. The author, one of Israel's leading specialists on Syria, provides occasional new tidbits of information, but he narrates a mostly familiar tale, with emphasis on a series of blunders and missed opportunities on both sides. His evenhanded approach leaves the impression that peace might have been achieved earlier if not for misjudgments, and that pragmatic leaders on both sides will now likely move gradually toward peace. He recognizes, however, that this outcome is not inevitable, and even when formal peace is achieved it will take many years for the scars of this profound conflict to heal.
Sign-up for free weekly updates from ForeignAffairs.com.