Peace in the Making: The Menachem Begin-Anwar Sadat Personal Correspondence

by Yisrael Medad, H Hurwitz

Overview

The letters, together with other material including transcripts of speeches, press conferences, interviews, and official documents, reveal the personal relationship the two leaders constructed, which was eventually reflected in the treaty they signed. The personalities, the principled issues, the maneuverings, the clashes, the compromises and agreements that were, at the time, hidden in the background, are now unveiled. The period covered, from June 1977 until a day before Sadat's assassination in October 1981, affords the public a startling introspective into the efforts, crises and agonizing decisions these two leaders faced and overcame to achieve peace. Richly illustrated with photos, this groundbreaking volume sheds new light on a peace process that succeeded.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789652294562
Publisher:	Gefen Publishing House
Publication date:	01/20/2011
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.50(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Harry (Zvi) Hurwitz, 1924–2008, was born in Latvia and grew up in South Africa. He first met Menachem Begin in Mandate Palestine in 1946. He was the editor of the Jewish Herald, a weekly, and a leader of the Zionist movement in South Africa. He immigrated to Israel in 1978 at the specific behest of Begin to become his advisor. He served in the Prime Minister's Office and, later, at Israel’s Washington embassy. He was the head of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center from 1999 until his death.

Yisrael Medad was born in the United States in 1947 and immigrated to Israel in 1970. He serves as the Director of Information and Educational Resources at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center since 2000. He previously served as political advisor to Members of Knesset as well as Minister, and lectures on Zionist and Israel history.

What People are Saying About This

Dore Gold

"Much has been written about the Camp David Peace Accords, but to actually read the personal correspondence between these two leaders adds a completely new dimension to the history of that era. It is both enlightening and inspiring." --( Dore Gold Former Ambassador of Israel to the United Nations President, Jerusalem Center of Public Affairs)

Sallai Meridor

"It is crystal clear that peace could not have been achieved without the great leadership of Sadat and Begin.… This is a story about the character of the individuals. The road to peace is extremely difficult, with major risks to take and unexpected obstacles to overcome. For this, there is a need for leaders ready to set a goal and drive forcefully to achieve it, leaders who are ready to take together a major leap of faith.…" --(Sallai Meridor Former Ambassador of Israel to the United States)

Martin Peretz

"Menachem Begin was a complex personality. He was at once courteous and proud, flexible yet driven. These letters provide an insight into his relationship with Anwar Sadat and the Arab world. He could see flexibility within the Arabs who were part of real historic nations. He was very wise in grasping that other Arabs would not seize the moment." --(Martin Peretz Editor in Chief, The New Republic)

Yehuda Avner

The letters…are instructive for the insights they reveal about the personalities and temperaments of the two men.… Verbal sparring…characterized the Begin-Sadat correspondence. Such caustic barrages, one would think, would have caused the two men to take umbrage and mount the barricades. But no. With the passage of time, they met ever more frequently, and in the process learned to respect and trust each other ever more, so that what had begun with written duels between belligerents ended in an embrace of personal friendship that ran deep.”--(Yehuda Avner Former Ambassador of Israel to Britain, Ireland, and Australia author of The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership)

Editorial Reviews

The letters…are instructive for the insights they reveal about the personalities and temperaments of the two men.… Verbal sparring…characterized the Begin-Sadat correspondence. Such caustic barrages, one would think, would have caused the two men to take umbrage and mount the barricades. But no. With the passage of time, they met ever more frequently, and in the process learned to respect and trust each other ever more, so that what had begun with written duels between belligerents ended in an embrace of personal friendship that ran deep.”

Yehuda Avner

Former Ambassador of Israel to Britain, Ireland, and Australia, author of The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership



“Much has been written about the Camp David Peace Accords, but to actually read the personal correspondence between these two leaders adds a completely new dimension to the history of that era. It is both enlightening and inspiring.”

Dore Gold

Former Ambassador of Israel to the United Nations

President, Jerusalem Center of Public Affairs



“It is crystal clear that peace could not have been achieved without the great leadership of Sadat and Begin.… This is a story about the character of the individuals. The road to peace is extremely difficult, with major risks to take and unexpected obstacles to overcome. For this, there is a need for leaders ready to set a goal and drive forcefully to achieve it, leaders who are ready to take together a major leap of faith.…”

Sallai Meridor

Former Ambassador of Israel to the United States



“Menachem Begin was a complex personality. He was at once courteous and proud, flexible yet driven. These letters provide an insight into his relationship with Anwar Sadat and the Arab world. He could see flexibility within the Arabs who were part of real historic nations. He was very wise in grasping that other Arabs would not seize the moment.”

Martin Peretz

Editor in Chief, The New Republic

From the Publisher

The Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem is the main source of the largely public documents collected here relating to these two notable figures' quest for peace between Israel and Egypt. These unclassified documents tell the story of Sadat's dramatic trip to Israel in 1977 and follow through to the Camp David Accords with President Jimmy Carter in 1978, then on to the further controversies (e.g., over Lebanon) and to Sadat's assassination in 1981. The perspective is Israeli. There are letters and speeches (including the Nobel Peace Prize speeches of both men in 1978), all chronologically arranged, and not always included in their entirety. VERDICT Readers will gain a greater overall perspective from the newly revised and updated The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, edited by Walter Laqueur and Barry Rubin. This book will most appeal to readers seeking insight into Menachem Begin, who remains a pivotal figure—however one views his legacy—in Israeli history.—Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL

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