The Art of the Possible: Diplomatic Alternatives in the Middle East

The Art of the Possible takes a hard look at the present play of forces in the Middle East. In full awareness of the historical, political, social, and psychological dimensions of the enmities of the region—and its most critical flashpoint, the Arab- Israeli conflict—it seeks realistic answers to the question “What can be done?” For each of the immediate foci of conflict, the author develops and proposes a workable plan: for the Sinai Peninsula, the establishment of a Sinai Development Trust; for the West Bank of the Jordan River, the creation of a Palestinian state; for the Golan Heights, the foundation of a Druze trust territory; and for the city of Jerusalem, the drafting and adoption of an international statute. Emphasizing the need for “unfettered investigation of new political techniques and legal institutions,” Professor Reisman exemplifies in this eloquent essay the kind of innovative thinking that alone can create the conditions for a lasting peace in this troubled part of the world.

Originally published in 1970.

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