David Makovsky
Encyclopedia
David Makovsky, born June 21, 1960, is the Ziegler distinguished fellow and director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Project on the Middle East Peace Process.
In addition, he is an adjunct lecturer at Johns Hopkins University
's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
(SAIS), in the Middle Eastern studies program.
He is the coauthor of the book Myths, Illusions, & Peace with senior White House advisor Dennis Ross
(who is the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council
for the Central Region). Mr. Makovsky's commentary on U.S. policy towards the Middle East and Middle East Peace Process appears on the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
. His writing also writings can be found in The New York Times
, The Wall Street Journal
, The Washington Post
, Foreign Affairs
, among other places.
and Harvard University
, having received his bachelor's degree from Columbia and his masters in Middle East
studies from Harvard.
From 1989 to 2000, David Makovsky extensively covered the peace process between Israel
and the Palestinians. During this time, he served as the executive editor of The Jerusalem Post
, and was the diplomatic correspondent for Israel's major daily Haaretz
. During the entire time, he was the special Jerusalem correspondent to U.S. News & World Report
. He subsequently served as contributing editor.
He was recognized for his accomplishments in journalism in 1994, when he was awarded the National Press Club's Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence. This honor was awarded in recognition for a cover story on PLO finances that he co-wrote for the magazine.
In July of that year, Mr. Makovsky became the first journalist writing for an Israeli publication to visit Damascus
. This had been made possible with the personal intervention of then Secretary of State Warren Christopher
. Mr. Makovsky would go on to make five trips to Syria. The last of these trips was accompanying then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
in December 1999.[1].
Mr. Makovsky also made history in March 1995 when he was given unprecedented permission, with the help of U.S. officials, to file reports from Jeddah
, Saudi Arabia
, for an Israeli publication.
The Institute's founders recognized the necessity of ideas and scholarship in the formation of U.S. Middle East
policy. Rejecting romantic ideas of the Middle East, they sought to establish a think tank that would focus on detached and tangible assessments of the region.
The Washington Institute has a senior research staff whose expertise cover a wide variety of the issues relevant in the Middle East, including political, military, security, and economic issues. Most speak the native languages of the Middle East
, have lived and worked there, and frequently are from the region themselves.
The experts of the Washington Institute are often quoted in major American and international media, interviewed on network television and radio programs, and featured as authors of op-eds in influential newspapers.
In addition, the Institute publishes material that is generally recognized by journalists, officials, and diplomats as "must reading". Both in and out of Washington
, the Institute's policy briefs, monographs, and other publications are read by those seeking immediate analysis of current events and long term assessments of trends in Middle East
issues.
At its inception, the Institute's main focus was on Arab-Israeli issues and overall U.S. Middle East
policy. In the 1990s, the scope of the Institute's research grew as the Soviet Union
fell and the first Gulf War
took place. This expansion included a particular focus on Turkey
and the rise of Islamic politics in understanding the political trends in the post-Soviet Middle East.
The range of issues covered by the Institute expanded once again after September 11, this time driven by the focus of the U.S. on the Middle East
as a central foreign policy concern. The Institute has thus dedicated new resources to assist the U.S. government in understanding and countering Islamist extremism, terrorism
, and nuclear proliferation
.
The ultimate hope of the Washington Institute is to see a more stable, secure, and prosperous Middle East
. It is the work of the Institute to aid the American leadership with the ideas and talents of people who can understand and shape policy.
, who now serves on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Central Region, the book sets out to prove the many myths about the Middle East
false, and help set a new course for American foreign policy in the Middle East.
In addition, he is the author or coauthor of several Washington Institute monographs, including
Lessons and Implications of the Israel-Hizballah War: A Preliminary Assessment (2006); Olmert
's Unilateral Option: An Early Assessment (2006); Hamas
Triumphant (2006); Engagement Through Disengagement: Gaza
and the Potential for Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking (2005); A Defensible Fence: Fighting Terror and Enabling a Two State Solution (2004).
David Makovsky also wrote Making Peace with the PLO: The Rabin Government's Road to the Oslo Accord (Washington Institute/Westview Press/HarperCollins, 1996); and contributed to a collection on U.S. involvement in the First Gulf War
, Triumph without Victory (Random House, 1992).
David Makovsky is also the author of many op-ed pieces, which have appeared in publications such as New York Daily News, USA Today
, The Wall Street Journal
, The Jerusalem Post
, and many others.
, The Washington Post
, the Los Angeles Times
, The Wall Street Journal
, the Financial Times
, the International Herald Tribune
, the Chicago Tribune
, Foreign Affairs
, Foreign Policy
, and The National Interest
.
Also, he has appeared on PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
, Charlie Rose
, the Mimi Geerges Show, National Public Radio, C-SPAN
, Voice of America
, and others.
, and the history behind the current events in these regions.
The book has been widely praised and well received by many interested in the Middle East
. David Makovsky has been interviewed several times, the book reviewed in several media outlets, and a book signing event held to discuss Myths, Illusions, & Peace. The Advance Praise on the back of the book gives an idea of the impression that the book has made:
"Ross
and Makovsky are superb guides to the political bazaar known as the Middle East
. Myths, Illusions, and Peace sheds new light on old dilemmas at a moment when fresh approaches to the Middle East are urgently needed, widely desired, and genuinely possible. This is a book written to be appreciated by experts and novices alike."
—Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
, 1997–2001
"This book is like an advanced course in Middle East politics. Whether you are an expert or not, you will learn a lot and gain fresh understanding about a range of difficult issues. Besides the many insights of the book, what emerges is that the authors share a belief in Middle East peace."
—Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed, Head of Al-Arabiya Arab Satellite Television Network
"This compelling book is an insightful testament to the authors' profound grasp of Middle East history and its development into today's contemporary reality. By dispelling myths that have captivated too many for too long in our region and beyond its shores, they bring to their analysis much needed fresh focus and lucid thinking, a significant contribution to building a better future for all the peoples of the Middle East."
—Shimon Peres
, President of Israel
"I rely on the work of Dennis Ross
and David Makovsky for deep strategic thinking. I value their research and analysis. I consider their work a national treasure of the United States."
—Lieutenant General Keith Dayton
, United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority
"Ross and Makovsky cogently blend the experience of diplomacy with the clarity of seasoned expertise. Anchored in astute political analyses, their book not only debunks widely and wildly held myths inherent in the Middle East's most daunting issues, it offers clear prescriptions for this and future administrations. A mandated read for students, diplomats, and presidents alike."
—Kenneth W. Stein
, William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Political Science, Emory University
Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy is a think tank based in Washington, D.C. focused on United States foreign policy in the Middle East. It was established by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in 1985...
Project on the Middle East Peace Process.
In addition, he is an adjunct lecturer at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies , a division of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's leading and most prestigious graduate schools devoted to the study of international affairs, economics, diplomacy, and policy research and...
(SAIS), in the Middle Eastern studies program.
He is the coauthor of the book Myths, Illusions, & Peace with senior White House advisor Dennis Ross
Dennis Ross
Dennis B. Ross is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President George H. W...
(who is the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
for the Central Region). Mr. Makovsky's commentary on U.S. policy towards the Middle East and Middle East Peace Process appears on the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Jim Lehrer
James Charles "Jim" Lehrer is an American journalist and the executive editor and former news anchor for PBS NewsHour on PBS, known for his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections...
. His writing also writings can be found in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
, among other places.
Education and career
David Makovsky is a graduate of both Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, having received his bachelor's degree from Columbia and his masters in Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
studies from Harvard.
From 1989 to 2000, David Makovsky extensively covered the peace process between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the Palestinians. During this time, he served as the executive editor of The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
, and was the diplomatic correspondent for Israel's major daily Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
. During the entire time, he was the special Jerusalem correspondent to U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. He subsequently served as contributing editor.
He was recognized for his accomplishments in journalism in 1994, when he was awarded the National Press Club's Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence. This honor was awarded in recognition for a cover story on PLO finances that he co-wrote for the magazine.
In July of that year, Mr. Makovsky became the first journalist writing for an Israeli publication to visit Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. This had been made possible with the personal intervention of then Secretary of State Warren Christopher
Warren Christopher
Warren Minor Christopher was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician. During Bill Clinton's first term as President, Christopher served as the 63rd Secretary of State. He also served as Deputy Attorney General in the Lyndon Johnson administration, and as Deputy Secretary of State in the Jimmy...
. Mr. Makovsky would go on to make five trips to Syria. The last of these trips was accompanying then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Korbelová Albright is the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996, and was unanimously confirmed by a U.S. Senate vote of 99–0...
in December 1999.[1].
Mr. Makovsky also made history in March 1995 when he was given unprecedented permission, with the help of U.S. officials, to file reports from Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, for an Israeli publication.
The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Currently, David Makovsky is a Senior Fellow and the Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP). The Washington Institute was founded in 1985 with the goal of helping advance U.S. interests in the Middle East.The Institute's founders recognized the necessity of ideas and scholarship in the formation of U.S. Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
policy. Rejecting romantic ideas of the Middle East, they sought to establish a think tank that would focus on detached and tangible assessments of the region.
The Washington Institute has a senior research staff whose expertise cover a wide variety of the issues relevant in the Middle East, including political, military, security, and economic issues. Most speak the native languages of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, have lived and worked there, and frequently are from the region themselves.
The experts of the Washington Institute are often quoted in major American and international media, interviewed on network television and radio programs, and featured as authors of op-eds in influential newspapers.
In addition, the Institute publishes material that is generally recognized by journalists, officials, and diplomats as "must reading". Both in and out of Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the Institute's policy briefs, monographs, and other publications are read by those seeking immediate analysis of current events and long term assessments of trends in Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
issues.
At its inception, the Institute's main focus was on Arab-Israeli issues and overall U.S. Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
policy. In the 1990s, the scope of the Institute's research grew as the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
fell and the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
took place. This expansion included a particular focus on Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and the rise of Islamic politics in understanding the political trends in the post-Soviet Middle East.
The range of issues covered by the Institute expanded once again after September 11, this time driven by the focus of the U.S. on the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
as a central foreign policy concern. The Institute has thus dedicated new resources to assist the U.S. government in understanding and countering Islamist extremism, terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, and nuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation is a term now used to describe the spread of nuclear weapons, fissile material, and weapons-applicable nuclear technology and information, to nations which are not recognized as "Nuclear Weapon States" by the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also known as the...
.
The ultimate hope of the Washington Institute is to see a more stable, secure, and prosperous Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. It is the work of the Institute to aid the American leadership with the ideas and talents of people who can understand and shape policy.
Published work
David Makovsky is the author of many published works, most recently and notably a book titled Myths, Illusions, & Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East. Coauthored with Dennis RossDennis Ross
Dennis B. Ross is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President George H. W...
, who now serves on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Central Region, the book sets out to prove the many myths about the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
false, and help set a new course for American foreign policy in the Middle East.
In addition, he is the author or coauthor of several Washington Institute monographs, including
Lessons and Implications of the Israel-Hizballah War: A Preliminary Assessment (2006); Olmert
Olmert
Olmert, Ollmert * Ehud Olmert , an Israeli political figure, the 12th Prime Minister of Israel* Aliza Olmert , a German-Israeli artist, photographer, author and social worker, wife of Ehud...
's Unilateral Option: An Early Assessment (2006); Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
Triumphant (2006); Engagement Through Disengagement: Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
and the Potential for Israeli-Palestinian Peacemaking (2005); A Defensible Fence: Fighting Terror and Enabling a Two State Solution (2004).
David Makovsky also wrote Making Peace with the PLO: The Rabin Government's Road to the Oslo Accord (Washington Institute/Westview Press/HarperCollins, 1996); and contributed to a collection on U.S. involvement in the First Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, Triumph without Victory (Random House, 1992).
David Makovsky is also the author of many op-ed pieces, which have appeared in publications such as New York Daily News, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
, and many others.
Media
David Makovsky's commentary on the Arab-Israeli conflict have appeared in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
, Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
, and The National Interest
The National Interest
The National Interest is a prominent conservative American bi-monthly international affairs magazine published by the Center for the National Interest. It was founded in 1985 by Irving Kristol and until 2001 was edited by Anglo-Australian Owen Harries...
.
Also, he has appeared on PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
Jim Lehrer
James Charles "Jim" Lehrer is an American journalist and the executive editor and former news anchor for PBS NewsHour on PBS, known for his role as a frequent debate moderator during elections...
, Charlie Rose
Charlie Rose
Charles Peete "Charlie" Rose, Jr. is an American television talk show host and journalist. Since 1991 he has hosted Charlie Rose, an interview show distributed nationally by PBS since 1993...
, the Mimi Geerges Show, National Public Radio, C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
, Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
, and others.
Myths, Illusions, & Peace
Among the areas covered in Myths, Illusions, & Peace are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and the history behind the current events in these regions.
The book has been widely praised and well received by many interested in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. David Makovsky has been interviewed several times, the book reviewed in several media outlets, and a book signing event held to discuss Myths, Illusions, & Peace. The Advance Praise on the back of the book gives an idea of the impression that the book has made:
"Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
and Makovsky are superb guides to the political bazaar known as the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Myths, Illusions, and Peace sheds new light on old dilemmas at a moment when fresh approaches to the Middle East are urgently needed, widely desired, and genuinely possible. This is a book written to be appreciated by experts and novices alike."
—Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
, 1997–2001
"This book is like an advanced course in Middle East politics. Whether you are an expert or not, you will learn a lot and gain fresh understanding about a range of difficult issues. Besides the many insights of the book, what emerges is that the authors share a belief in Middle East peace."
—Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed, Head of Al-Arabiya Arab Satellite Television Network
"This compelling book is an insightful testament to the authors' profound grasp of Middle East history and its development into today's contemporary reality. By dispelling myths that have captivated too many for too long in our region and beyond its shores, they bring to their analysis much needed fresh focus and lucid thinking, a significant contribution to building a better future for all the peoples of the Middle East."
—Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
, President of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
"I rely on the work of Dennis Ross
Dennis Ross
Dennis B. Ross is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President George H. W...
and David Makovsky for deep strategic thinking. I value their research and analysis. I consider their work a national treasure of the United States."
—Lieutenant General Keith Dayton
Keith Dayton
Lieutenant General Keith W. Dayton, United States Army, is the director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. He completed his term as the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel-Palestinian Authority in Tel Aviv, Israel in October 2010...
, United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority
"Ross and Makovsky cogently blend the experience of diplomacy with the clarity of seasoned expertise. Anchored in astute political analyses, their book not only debunks widely and wildly held myths inherent in the Middle East's most daunting issues, it offers clear prescriptions for this and future administrations. A mandated read for students, diplomats, and presidents alike."
—Kenneth W. Stein
Kenneth W. Stein
Kenneth W. Stein is William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History, Political Science and Israeli Studies and Director of the Institute for the Study of Modern Israel of Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia, where he has taught since 1977 and where he "founded and developed...
, William E. Schatten Professor of Contemporary Middle Eastern History and Political Science, Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...