The Balfour Declaration: 100 Years of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

(Hardback)

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Is there any prospect of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians This book examines the reasons why innumerable efforts to resolve their differences have always failed, updates the history of these efforts and assesses whether there is any prospect of ever reaching an agreement. It places this conflict in the context of the turmoil in the rest of the Middle East and investigates the influence of one upon the other. While there are so many threatening neighbours amongst the extremists active in Syria, Iraq and Egypt's Sinai making both Israel and the Palestinians nervous about entering negotiations, fresh opportunities may be opening up as new alliances are formed. These recent developments are examined in light of the one hundred years of history since the Balfour Declaration. Many of the misconceptions about that declaration are clarified and an effort is made to give the general reader a succinct history of the ups and downs of negotiations, when success seemed almost within grasp, only for it to be snatched away, usually by some act of terror. Why did they fail and how might the same pitfalls be avoided in futureAt a time when answers to these questions are elusive, this book offers a reasoned attempt to examine what an agreement might look like and what steps may be necessary from both sides to begin the process.

Reviews

"At last! Exactly the book on the Israeli-Palestinian situation that everyone needs: part well-researched and objective history; part intelligent analysis of current affairs; part realistic plan for a positive future for the region. Turnberg's scholarly, sane, and even wise book - never naively over-optimistic, but also never over-cynical - is the general reader's best guide to the past, present and future of this uniquely troubled region." - Andrew Roberts; "Truly a great achievement. Leslie Turnberg has covered an enormous sweep of history and done it with extraordinary good judgement, and with some unique personal insights." - Daniel Taub, Israel's Ambassador to the UK, 2011-2015; "To mark the centenary of the Balfour Declaration, Leslie Turnberg has written a much-needed and insightful account of the background to the Declaration itself, the factors that lay behind the creation of the modern state of Israel, and the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. A fine, sensitive and balanced work, as well as a source of much needed hope on an issue subject to far too much premature despair. An important and timely work." - Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks; "This volume is commendable for its two important addenda to the vast literature on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. First, he brings a comprehensive review of the development of the conflict and the various stages along the historical timeline since the Balfour Declaration in 1917, until recently years. Second, the book describes very deeply the picture on 'both sides of the hill' and tries to explain why the leaders of the two peoples have failed in achieving peace. In both respects this book is an important contribution to the knowledge and study of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Although the book tries to explain why the long-awaited peace has not been achieved, it is actually a road map for the future for all those involved in promoting the process of comprehension and reconciliation in the Holy Land." - Professor Mustafa Abbasi, Tel-Hai College, History Department, Israel

Author Bio

After a distinguished career in medicine, Leslie Turnberg turned his attention to the thorny problems of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Professor of Medicine and Dean of the Faculty in the University of Manchester and President of the Royal College of Physicians in London, he uses his experience in research and in large organisations to analyse the reasons behind the inability of the Zionists and Arabs to reach a compromise. Now, as a Labour peer, he focuses on the problems that abound in the Middle East in his interventions in debates in the House of Lords.