Imperfect Compromise

The Middle East is now in the eye of a storm. But as this storm abates, an opportunity for peace and progress has emerged. The Egyptian revolution against Hosni Mubarak’s regime may usher in an era of relative freedom in the Middle East, notwithstanding Syria’s brutal crackdown on its own domestic opposition. Michael Karpin, an Israeli broadcast journalist, argues that the triumph of any nonviolent struggle in the region, no matter how rare, has the potential to increase the desire among Israelis and Palestinians for a peaceful solution to their differences. In Imperfect Compromise, Karpin presents an entirely different thesis from that of most books about the Middle East peace settlement: when it comes to the proverbial man or woman on the street, he asserts that both Arabs and Jews prefer a peaceful solution. The question is whether and when the leaders on both sides will be capable of overcoming the fanatical minorities that torpedo each attempt to arrive at any agreement. The forces opposed to a peace settlement are weakening, public opinion is more open to compromise than the leaders are, and the principles of a final settlement have been developed, Karpin explains. These principles need to be adopted, and Karpin demonstrates that there is no better time than the present.