The Battle for Peace

ISBN: 0553050028

Author: Weizman, Ezer

Condition: New

A revealing account of whathappened behind closed doors as mortalenemies were struggling to overcomethirty years of bitter hatred in face-to-face encounters that electrified theworld.Originally General Weizman sharedMenachem Begins hawkishness on theterritories occupied by Israel after theSix Day War But, as the peace processunfolded, EzerWeizman became an eageradvocate of reasonable concessions andcompromise. For sixteen months,Weizman, Anwar Sadat, Begin, JimmyCarter, Moshe Dayan and Qlrus Vanceengaged in intense negotiations. And asthe process accelerated, one startlingdevelopment was the very specialrelationship that grew between Sadat andWeizman, a shared affection andrespect that was both crucial andfascinating.When the Egyptian presidentconfronted Ezer and promised No morewar!, the challenge provoked Weizmanand the Israelis to hurl themselves intopeace as fiercely as they had wagedwar. Day and night Weizman worked,openly and secretly, participating in themercurial ebb and flow, witnessing thebirth pangs of the peace treaty until itfinally came into being in March of 1979.This battle for peace had its momentsof tremendous suspense, dramaand even humor. Weizmans candor andperception illuminate the personalitiesthat changed the course of history. Weizman was born in Tel Aviv in 1924 into an illustrious family; his uncle was the great Chaim Weizmann, first president of Israel. Early on, Weizman displayed the gifts expected of such a famous clan. At18 heplayed a major role in Israel's War ofIndependence. When only 2o he wasappointed Air Force Chief of Operationsand became its Commander in1958.Audacious as a fighter pilot, his tough,demanding leadership set the pace forIsrael's war aces. Long before the Six Day War he prophesied that within six hours a preemptive strike could demolish the Egyptian Air Force and win the war.