Books
Israel's New Future, Revisited
Shattered Dreams and Harsh Realities
Twenty Years after the First Oslo Accords
Israel’s New Future, Revisited provides a refreshing reassessment of how Israel should maneuver cautiously to maintain military safety, internal social stability, and a growing economy. All this, while several of its neighbors face decay and internal unrest.
The original edition of this book was published in 1994. Not long after the first Oslo Accords were signed, Manfred Gerstenfeld interviewed sixteen prominent Israelis, including Abba Eban, Moshe Arens, and Abraham B. Yehoshua, about their prognoses and hopes for the Jewish State. Where was their country heading in this new era? It is fascinating to (re-)read these assessments from twenty years ago. As the Middle East remains in a permanent flux, accurate predictions are quite rare—naïve dreams more common.
In his extensive introduction to this second edition, Gerstenfeld provides an enlightening description of how the Middle East has developed into an even more unstable region in recent years, with constant new challenges for Israel to tackle.
20 years ago with leading Israeli thinkers predicting what the Jewish state would look
like 20 years hence (meaning now) is a compelling, dramatic, and thought-provoking read.”
—Ambassador Yehuda Avner
“Wishful thinking is not a luxury Israel can afford. Manfred Gerstenfeld’s masterful 1994 interviews with Israeli elite is a sobering reminder that Jews should never confuse vision with fantasy. Looking for a roadmap for the Jewish State’s future challenges? Take notes on Gerstenfeld’s brilliant 2013 introduction.”
—Rabbi Abraham Cooper
Associate Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center
“This book makes a strong case for a level-headed realistic approach to the challenges
confronting Israel in the coming years. It illustrates the futility of chasing elusive magic
solutions while advocating policies of caution and steadfastness. Readers are promised
a fascinating journey.”
—Ehud Yaari
Author and Middle East Affairs Expert
