Yossi Alphers' latest book, Death Tango: Ariel Sharon, Yasser Arafat and Three Fateful Days in March
"Anyone seeking to understand how Israelis and Palestinians traded the hopes of Oslo for something approaching hopelessness is well-advised to read this book. With penetrating analysis and elegant prose, Yossi Alpher has told the gripping story of three days nearly two decades ago that continue to haunt would-be peacemakers. Yossi’s faithful readers will not be disappointed with his latest effort."
Ambassador Frederic C. Hof, Bard College
"A riveting account of the crucial days in March 2002 when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was profoundly changed for the worse. The peace camp has never recovered from those wrenching days, and we live now without any hope of a just settlement. Alpher is a highly respected expert who has spent decades studying this conflict from both sides."
Bruce Riedel, Director of the Brookings Intelligence Project
"A critical assessment of a key period in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict never before presented in such detail. The best and most capable players at the executive and political levels proved unable to forge any resolution, final or partial, because both parties continued to maintain an insurmountable gulf between themselves. This is a MUST read for anyone daring to tackle the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and of Israel-Arab relations in general."
Efraim Halevy, former Head of the Mossad (1998-2002)
June 27 2022
Q. Israel’s politics are in turmoil and new elections are on the horizon. Is this a good time for US President Biden to come?
A. Biden has little choice. US midterm elections are also approaching. Political uncertainty in Israel will continue for many months. By coming now, Biden can support moderate forces in Israel, while his hosts can perhaps benefit electorally from the prestige of a US presidential visit and the (hoped-for) strategic benefits it bestows. If he can indeed register strategic achievements, Biden may also score points for the Democrats in November.
Q. Which is the potentially more strategic aspect of the July 13-16 Biden visit to the Middle East: Israel-Palestine, or Saudi Arabia?
A. President Biden’s Riyadh visit (July 15-16) is likely to have the greater strategic impact regionally and globally. This reflects first and foremost the economic dimension and the war in Ukraine. The Biden administration seeks urgently to recruit a Saudi effort to lower energy prices, thereby helping fight inflation in the US. This in turn requires persuading the Saudis to back off from coordinating high prices with Russia, whose war in Ukraine the US opposes...