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The Charney Report
Confronting the Israeli-Arab Conflict
by Leon Charney
"The
Leon Charney Report," the nationally syndicated
cable interview show, has long been one of the
favorite stops in America for statesmen, journalists
and others who play a vital part in the Mid East.
THE CHARNEY REPORT: Confronting the Israeli-Arab
Conflict reveals why. Spanning eleven years and
26 interviews, Charney’s newest book includes
interviews with Yitzak Rabin, Teddy Kollek, Ehud
Barak, Yitzak Shamir, Raghida Dergham, Nasser
Al Kidwa, Shimon Peres and others whose voices
have been at the center of this tragic struggle.
Why these top names have chosen to include his
show, not only on their American visits
but
also on location, has as much to do with how Charney
is perceived by his guests as it does with the
freedom they feel he extends to them on air. Candid
and insightful, he gives his guests full rein
to explore and explain situations, personalities,
and negotiations that often seem inexplicable
to the U.S. public. In addition, Charney’s
own commitment to the region has earned him a
special regard and trust in the Mid East. He has
spent over twenty years actively working towards
peace, the result of his behind-the-scenes role
during the Camp David Peace Agreement.
The
resulting interviews form a rare chronicle of
the Mid Eastern conflict, breaking new ground
in the redressing of historical details. In an
interview with Avigdor Kahalani, brigadier general
in the Israeli army and founder of the Third Way
Party, Kahalani raises serious questions about
Rabin’s refusal to show him the withdrawal
maps that were a part of the agreement with the
PLO that was brought before the Knesset. Kahalani
refused to vote for the agreement. He said it
was like signing a blank check on the security
of Israel. Later it was revealed that when Kahalani
asked Rabin about the change in his lexicon from
Greater Jerusalem to Jerusalem Plus, Rabin never
answered. This preceded Barak’s alleged discussion
at Camp David, for which he was widely criticized.
In
an era of sound bites, Charney’s hallmark
style is the long, thoughtful discussion that
gives new depth to familiar issues. Here leaders,
both past and present, provide the unexpected
viewpoint; politicians candidly discuss the complex
and often painful divisions within Israel; military
experts reveal the vulnerability Israelis feel
they must always live with and the sense of isolation
they have learned to accept from the rest of the
world. Readers are given an unpararelled perspective
on the generations of leadership, the bonds that
bound and the decisions that divided former political
allies. Diplomats and statesmen reflect on the
policies and politics of rivals, try to give meaning
to the history unfolding, and offer predictions
that now read, in the light of current events,
as too sadly prophetic.
Presented
historically and beginning with Yitzhak Rabin
in 1989 and ending with Yehuda Lancry in June
2000, THE CHARNEY REPORT provides a fresh perspective
on the ongoing peace process and gives hope that
peace may yet come to this conflicted region.
With the rise of fundamentalism and the continued
struggle over Jerusalem, the region now faces
as many challenges as it has before—and yet,
talks continue. As Charney notes in his Afterword,
‘ The Middle East is the genesis of all religions
and the cradle of civilization. It also has been
a consistent source of conflict…One must
never forget that the Holy Land is a place of
miracles. And it has been said that to live in
the Middle East is to believe in miracles over
reality."
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
Leon Charney was raised in Bayonne, New Jersey,
and worked his way through Yeshiva University
and Brooklyn Law School. He began his career representing
sports and show business personalities and moved
onto finance and investment banking. For six years
he was the counsel and advisor to the Senior Senator
from Indiana, Vance Hartke. This representation
brought him into contact with contacts from around
the world. During the Carter Administration, Charney’s
expertise in the Middle East brought him to the
attention of the White House and the creation
of an unprecedented role as advisor and citizen
diplomat. Charney parlayed his extensive contacts
throughout the halls of power on both sides—Israeli
and Egyptian--into an effective back door channel
for the Camp David Peace Agreement. He lives in
New York and is the author of Special Counsel,
a memoir detailing his experiences during the
historic Camp David peace talks.
The
Charney Report
Confronting the Israeli-Arab Conflict
by Leon Charney
Price: $24.95
Format: Cloth
ISBN: 1-56980-204-1
Pub Month: November
Rights: World
Purchase The Charney Report @ amazon.com
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