Review
'In this excellent book, Mark LeVine presents us with a high-quality, original and penetrating historical account of the failed 'peace process' in Israel/Palestine. He displays an impressive ability to weave together historical, geographical and political knowledge. LeVine skillfully analyzes the 'history of the present' as a contemporary expression of long-term Western colonial ambitions in the Middle East and convincingly argues that such latter day colonialism - by its very nature - prevents genuine reconciliation.' - Oren Yiftachel, Ben-Gurion University 'Impossible Peace offers a lucid analysis of the trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the end of the Cold War, well grounded in that conflict's regional and global political and economic contexts. Its assessment of the contradictions of the 'Oslo process' helps provide a deeper understanding of a conflict that many people have come to see as hopelessly intractable.' - Zachary Lockman, New York University 'Mark LeVine challenges the simplistic view of Oslo, arguing that it never had a chance to produce peace. His historical analysis demonstrates the deleterious impact of globalization and neoliberalism on the 'peace process'. A very readable book.' - Nubar Hovespian, Chapman University 'A highly readable work that situates the current malaise within the global context of a seemingly regional conflict. Levine helps us read the meaning of the violence behind the headlines, and uncover the underlying causes among local contestants.' - Salim Tamari, University of California, Berkeley
Product Description
This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the failure of the Oslo Accords as they pass into history. Mark LeVine argues that Oslo was never going to bring peace of justice to Palestinians or Israelis and that the accords collapsed not because of a failure to live up to the agreements, but precisely because of the terms of and ideologies that underlay them. Today more than ever, it's crucial to understand why these failures happened and how they will impact on future negotiations towards any "final status agreement." This fresh and honest account of the peace process in the Middle East shows how by learning from history it may be possible to avoid the errors that have long doomed peace in the region.
