Friendly Fire
how Israel became its own worst enemy
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A highly decorated Israeli military officer, leader, and former director of the internal security service, Shin Bet, sees the light on what his country must do to achieve a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
In this deeply personal journey of discovery, Ami Ayalon seeks input and perspective from Palestinians and Israelis whose experiences differ from his own. As head of the Shin Bet security agency, he gained empathy for ‘the enemy’ and learned that when Israel carries out anti-terrorist operations in a political context of hopelessness, the Palestinian public will support violence, because they have nothing to lose.
Researching and writing Friendly Fire, he came to understand that his patriotic life had blinded him to the self-defeating nature of policies that have undermined Israel’s civil society while heaping humiliation upon its Palestinian neighbours. ‘If Israel becomes an Orwellian dystopia,’ Ayalon writes, ‘it won’t be thanks to a handful of theologians dragging us into the dark past. The secular majority will lead us there motivated by fear and propelled by silence.’
Ayalon is a realist, not an idealist, and many who consider themselves Zionists will regard as radical his conclusions about what Israel must do to achieve relative peace and security and to sustain itself as a Jewish homeland and a liberal democracy.
Customer Reviews
Give peace a chance
Author
Israeli. Born in the British Mandate of Palestine in 1945, grew up on a kibbutz, served as a Navy commando and won the Medal of Valor (Israel's equivalent of the Victoria Cross or the US Medal of Honor). Fought in the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. BA in Israel in 1980 then M Public Admin from Harvard followed by a Master of Law back home. Ended his military career as commander-in-chief of the navy then became head of Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic security agency (as distinct from Mossad which operates outside Israel). In 2003, he and Palestinian Professor Sari Nusseibeh launched a peace initiative "The People's Voice" dedicated to a two-state solution. After that, he was elected to the Knesset, lost out to Ehud Barak in the run off election for leader of the Labour Party in 2007 but served in cabinet. In summary, the dude knows a thing or two about modern Israel and its problems.
Summary
Having spent most of his career killing terrorists (brutally in many cases), the author started talking to Palestinians while he was with Shin Bet and had an epiphany. They were human beings with needs and desires like him. Well, duh, you might say, but it was a big step for a life long hawk. His, and many of his countrymen's, lack of empathy made it impossible for them to assess dangers and opportunities, and overreact out of fear, but retaliation for terrorist attacks only led to more attacks. Again, not rocket science to an observer at a safe distance in the land downunder, but a big step for dude like Ami. Not surprisingly, the right wing press and the ultra-right clergy got stuck into him for airing his views. He now sees messianic rabbis as a greater threat to Israel than Hamas! Did somebody say KFC?
Writing
Crisp, clear arguments leavened with significant and apparently genuine emotion. The blood and guts bits, of which there were plenty, were harrowing to put it mildly.
Bottom line
On ya, Ami, for telling it like it is, or trying to. I can't imagine Bibi will go for it, but what the hell. He's only got another year in the top job.