Jimmy Carter is a hero. As a Jewish American I crave hearing intelligent voices on the Middle East that understand and are able to express the reality of life in the occupied territories and the policies that brought about the devastating conditions endured daily by Palestinians while maintaining empathy for the many plights of the Jews that brought them to these disputed lands. This was a thoughtful and informative statement on where we have been and where we need to go from here.

Despite the title, and therefore people's perception of the subject matter rather than the actual content, Jimmy Carter does a great job of remaining neutral and outlining the current position of each of the parties as they stand.

A person can't have a clear opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process without thinking about the experiences of a key mediator and man who cares deeply about resolution.

Banger. Easy read guaranteed to be informing to any reader looking to learn more about the conflict and its key actors over the past 60 years. Carters insight into the differences between key leaders are aided by colorful anecdotes only he is able to tell as an outsider who consistently worked on efforts to resolve the conflict from his presidency and the Camp David Accords in 79 through this books publishing in 2006. This book will not make you feel better about where we are at today, but it does really put into context just how realistic peace was for a significant period, upset by the fact that Israeli conservatives were unwilling to stop settling the West Bank and negotiate in good faith for a period of about 40 years. Carter does a great job of showing how that frustration turned a relatively secular society with a leader deeply committed to peace in Arafat to one that eventually resorted to the terrorism, fundamentalism and violence of Hamas in the ‘06 election.

Can't believe he was our president.

Very simple writing. Even as ignorant as I am on the subject, I know there are many nuances left out of the story. One blatant omission is complete lack of discussion given to historic anti-Semitism and it's effects. Of course, there is little mention of any racial or ethnic tensions, rather the conflicts are described politically (but even this seems to be lacking). Seems almost like a middle school summary of events and facts to date.

Carter does a good job. He speaks very straightforwardly and concisely, which I appreciated considering how convoluted the history of Palestine is, and how complex the issues in the region are.
Now that another war has started, I wanted to revisit precisely what was agreed to when Carter was able to broker peace btwn Israel & Egypt, and learn what was responsible for causing the violence to repeatedly resurrect.
I did glean some new insights. Carter’s experiences with key players in the region are enlightening, as are his summaries of each American president’s peace efforts (since he left office up until the time of the book’s publication.)

Enough time has gone forward since this book hit the stands and the whole situation has gotten much worse. At the end of the book is Appendix I
UN Resolution 242, year 1967
UN Resolution 338, year 1973
Camp David Accords, year 1978
Framework for Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, year 1978
UN Resolution 465, year 1980
Arab Peace Proposal, year 2002
Israel's Response to the Roadmap, year May 2003

I did not bother to read them after reading the book. I just could not see a reason.
I suspect it is good that we have not stopped trying.
The book is not a self aggrandizing account of Carter's efforts. He lays out the history as best one can in 250 pages. And I do truly admire Carters tenacity in a search for peace in that region. As I got to the end, it became apparent to me that his patience with Israel has worn thin. He even uses the term "domineering" to describe American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Though he is ever the diplomat. His contacts and relationships in the region are vast.

I have too too many questions still to pass judgement on either side, but I am very disturbed by the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. My book club agreed that Israel is violating international law with these settlements. And as more are built it is like rubbing salt in the wounds for the Palestinians.
I found the fences a horrendous solution. And the poverty within the Palestinian areas is a disgrace.

The history of the Arab/Israeli impasse can take volumes of reading to understand. Passing judgement on the basis of this book would be unfair, but it give you some sort of chronological account of how we got to where we are.



Somehow Israel has been able to decisively win the wars but cannot win the post war.

Absolutely everybody should read this book!!!... It is a very good introduction to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It starts kind of slow and you don't really know what to expect, but after the first chapter it gets very interesting. It begins with a little of the history of both cultures so you can understand where it all started, and then it explains in a very clear and easy way how the events developed. If you thought Arabs were the bad guys you should check this out, it will enlighten your brain!

Jimmy Carter was admirable in his pursuit of peace, but ultimately rooted in naive idealism. His efforts to understand the people, even post presidency, was commendable. However, his attempt was misplaced with Hamas interaction. He was a humanitarian at heart, may he rest in peace.

President Carter has been called antisemitic because of his criticism of the Israeli government. I didn't get that sense at all. Don't get me wrong, he does place a good deal of the blame for the unrest in the Middle East at the feet of the Israeli government. However, it seems that there is a clear separation in his mind between the Israeli government and the Jewish faith. It would benefit all Americans to understand this separation.

An important American voice on this issue. A true humanitarian. It is devastating to hear how much we have failed Palestine. This book, published in 2006, repeats the same call we ask for yesterday, today, and likely tomorrow. Ceasefire now.

In this political environment, I have found myself deeply motivated to read more about Palestine, and a quite short book by the aging former president Jimmy Carter seemed like a perfect choice. Carter comes from an era in which a president didn't have to be staunchly pro-Israel all the time, regardless of party, with his retirement status enabling him to speak out on human rights to his heart's content. This is largely a story of his own involvement in the peace process, paired with a well-prepared and detailed history of the conflict.

Although published in the mid-2000s, a lot has not changed, with Israel's oppression of everyday Palestinians worsening in that time and the war in Gaza now raging. I appreciated Carter's sympathetic tone and strong experience in defining this conflict, providing understanding to both sides and genuinely working to bring an end to violence. This is a book that our political and community leaders should read, as they look to find solutions that work for Israelis and Palestinians alike.