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3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
'Peace, peace...when there is no peace!', 13 Nov 2002
By A Customer
When I first pre-ordered this book before it's publication, the title was quoted as "The seduction of Israel : how Clinton's peace process has brought the Middle East to the brink of destruction".Of course since then, world events have overtaken us. One is now left to wonder whether the new title 'The High Cost Of Peace' should instead be 'Peace At Any Price?'. Bodansky reveals in some detail what in fact has been going on behind the scenes pertaining to the US involvement in Middle East politics and the so-called 'peace process'. The intent of Yasser Arafat and the Arab world in relation to a negotiated 'peace' settlement with Israel having been exposed for what it really is when Arafat walked away from the negotiating table, leaving former US President Clinton and former Israeli PM Ehud Barak together with the most extensive peace offering ever presented to the Palestinians, for Arafat to resume his pursuit of terrorism, violence and murder. The author delves into the complicity of the Arab world in much of the terrorism against Israel, for which the very same Arab nations then proceed to instigate UN Resolutions against Israel for taking subsequent military measures in self defence. He examines the 'phased plan' of the Islamic world to destroy Israel. A plan that much of the world appears ignorant of, but the basis of which is to obtain as much territory as possible at the negotiating table, and then to proceed in using that very same territory as a platform from which to launch fresh attacks upon the Jewish state until the ultimate objective is attainable. The High Cost Of Peace provides a refreshing factual account of US-Middle East politics instead of what is usually reported in the media where established historical facts are filtered through chosen political channels, setting the agenda on which the issues are subsequently discussed. A process which has seen Israel being robbed of its political, historic and geographic legitimacy, whilst Israel is being made to appear to rob the Palestinians of the nation it never had. Yossef Bodansky explores the naivety of both US and Israeli politicians in their dealings with the Arab world, the evidence supporting Yasser Arafat's personal involvement in terrorism during the 'peace negotiations' and the clear intent of former US President Clinton in using the 'peace process' to divert attention from his own political/personal scandals at home. Of course, at the core of the whole political issue, is the matter of Jerusalem. One cannot help drawing a parallel from Bodansky's revelations of the cost that the US must pay for it's involvement in the 'peace process' to the words of the Old Testament prophet Zechariah written some 2,500 years ago. "Thus says the LORD "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it." (Zechariah 12:2,3). It has never been more clear that those who involve themselves in ANY negotiations pertaining to the future or status of Jerusalem, contrary to Scripture, will have to pay a heavy price. Barak and Clinton, who were prepared to sacrifice Jerusalem to Arafat in a policy of appeasement, no longer being present in the political board-game. Although not applying Scripture, Bodansky ably illustrates the price paid to date by the parties concerned and that which is likely to have to be paid in the future. An underlying principle is revealed through Bodansky's studies and it can be summed up briefly in that the Islamic/Arab world understands only strength, and that to these nations & dictators like Saddam Hussein & Yasser Arafat, concessions are a sign of weakness to be exploited. One can clearly see that the Arab world of which Bodansky is so well informed, is not as naive in these matters as we would like to think. It's agenda is quite clear and it is prepared to play a waiting game and use our own naivety and self-seeking politicians as pawns in their game to pursue their ultimate goal. This book is a most welcome scrutiny of how we have arrived today on the verge of yet another conflict with Iraq and the dangers lurking behind the scenes of an even more horrific scenario involving the camouflaged agenda to the Arab world's 'final solution' of the Israeli issue. Recommended.
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(1 customer review)
