Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its Destiny

by Dennis Ross, David Makovsky Narrated by Jonathan Davis

Overview

Modern Israel's founding fathers provided some of the boldest and most principled leadership of any nation--now Israel needs their example more than ever.

Modern Israel's founding fathers provided some of the boldest and most principled leadership of any nation. Now Israel needs their example more than ever.At a time when the political destiny of Israel is more uncertain than at any moment since its modern founding, Be Strong and of Good Courage celebrates the defining generation of leaders who took on the task of safeguarding the country's future.

David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, and Ariel Sharon were all present at the creation of the new nation in 1948. Over the next sixty years, each experienced moments when the country's existence was directly imperiled. In those moments, Israel needed extraordinary acts of leadership and strategic judgment to secure its future, and these leaders rose to the occasion. The strength they showed allowed them to prevail.

Today, Israel may be on the verge of sacrificing the essential character that its greatest citizens fought to secure. This is the story of that epic struggle.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Solid historical guidance for policymakers and students of the Israeli-Palestinian conundrum."—Kirkus Reviews

"An unusually well-written book by two seasoned American diplomatic and academic commentators...It is certainly a stimulant to shake off the cobwebs of apathy - a work that provides food for thought."—Colin Shindler, Jerusalem Post

"a subtle account of Israeli foreign policy, based in part on declassified documents from Israel, in the form of biographies of how four Israeli Prime Ministers - David Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon - took risks for peace."—Jewish Chronicle (UK)

"For those of us who care deeply about Israel and the US-Israel relationship, Ross and Makovsky have done a real service. . . . They tell the story of Ben-Gurion, Begin, Rabin and Sharon . . . [and] provide guidance for today's leaders in Israel and for all of us on the meaning of leadership."—Hillary RodhamClinton, 67th US secretary of state

"A powerful statement on the style and principles of leadership that are critical for shaping the Middle East peace process."—Henry Kissinger, 56th US secretary of state

"The decisions you describe, with meticulous attention to detail and with penetrating analysis, indeed required them to exhibit leadership, strategic judgment and moral fortitude....It will make a significant contribution to my library."—Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin President of Israel

"A brilliant study of the role of moral courage in politics as exemplified by four of Israel's boldest prime ministers, and a passionate plea for similar courage in Israel today."—Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi ofthe United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth

"An astute understanding of the policies of real leaders, along with insights based on many meetings and close observations."—George Shultz, 60th US secretaryof state

"Be Strong and of Good Courage is of great importance to understand the most intimate decision-making process of our leaders during pivotal points of our history . . . and to learn and gain insights for Israel's future historic decisions that must be taken."—Gadi Eisenkot, 21st chief of general staff ofthe Israel Defense Forces, 2015-2019

"This book is a wake-up call to the most difficult decision that the State of Israel has faced since its establishment: preserving a Jewish and democratic identity or losing it. This is not a question of if it happens, but when."—Amir Eshel, former commander of the Israeli AirForce, 2012-2017

Kirkus Reviews

2019-07-15
Profiles in leadership spotlighting four towering figures in Israeli history who took great "risks for an elusive peace"—and why those qualities are needed in our current time.

American authors Ross and Makovsky (co-authors: Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East, 2009) are both passionately committed to Israeli-Palestinian peace and diplomacy and believe the current Israeli leadership cannot deliver the solution. They observe that long-term Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not believe peace with the Palestinians is in his political interest and is allowing the issue to drift inexorably toward the establishment of a binational state. The authors offer the instructive examples of David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Rabin, and Ariel Sharon as guides for the next step. Though all were flawed leaders, they all were "able to see risks clearly and understand which ones had to be run and not avoided," and they were "willing to make very lonely decisions." Founding father Ben-Gurion maintained a single-minded determination to establish a Zionist state, a desire magnified by the Holocaust, although he grasped the terrible cost of a war with the Arab neighbors; he was willing to compromise, when needed, though he did not foresee the growth of the religious right. Begin, former leader of the paramilitary underground, led the conservative coalition Likud to leadership in 1977, seizing the moment of making peace with Egypt's Anwar Sadat (thanks to U.S. mediation) and ending "the virtually constant threat of war looming over Israel during its last three decades." Rabin also understood the need for concessions, despite the awful political consequences, and Sharon, the early architect of the building of settlements, rehabilitated himself, after a controversial military career, by making the decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and recognizing Palestinian statehood. The choice for the next leaders, write the authors, is "whether [Israel] remains Jewish and democratic."

Solid historical guidance for policymakers and students of the Israeli-Palestinian conundrum.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173628176
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged

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