First published 2015
Michael Oren chronicles his tenure as Israel's ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2013, a period when the alliance between the two nations faced unprecedented strain. An American-born historian who became an Israeli paratrooper, Oren arrived in Washington just as Barack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hillary Clinton took office. His memoir reveals the behind-the-scenes tensions that emerged over the Palestinian peace process, the Arab Spring, and Iran's nuclear program. Oren provides firsthand accounts of high-stakes meetings between Obama and Netanyahu, diplomatic summits with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, and moments when the decades-old partnership seemed ready to fracture. Writing as someone who loves both countries, Oren examines how personal relationships and political pressures shaped crucial foreign policy decisions. The book offers readers an insider's view of American-Israeli relations during one of their most turbulent chapters.
Genres: history, international-relations, biography-memoir, 21st-century, academic, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, personal-narrative
Setting: Israel, United States, Washington
Period: 2009-2013
432 pages · Hardcover · Random House