Peace First: A New Model to End War [Hardcover]

Uri Savir (Author), Abu Ala (Afterword), Shimon Peres (Foreword), Dennis Ross (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

In this groundbreaking new guide to building peace, international ambassador Uri Savir exposes the deadly ironies and anachronisms in contemporary efforts to solve global conflicts, and presents a radical new model for modernizing our efforts to build real and lasting peace, from the ground up. Peace First draws on Savir's own deep, first-hand experiences from the Oslo Peace Process, as well as his peace-building efforts between enemies and former enemies in the African nations of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, the European regions of Northern Ireland and the Former Yugoslavia, and in Asia, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former Israeli peace negotiator Savir (The Process) unveils his proposal for achieving lasting world peace: a carefully conceived and constructed model that leads to a future of cooperation and understanding. The model for peace is predicated upon a shift from globalization to glocalization, based on the idea that city leaders can forge bonds across boundaries that national leaders cannot because cities have become our primary social unit... in both the developed and developing worlds. Savir emphasizes that peace must come from the grassroots rather than the top down and offers practicable solutions, from joint economic ventures designed to attract tourists to a NATO-like Mediterranean alliance. This book is compelling not for its specific blueprint but for the author's eternal optimism in the face of so many depressing obstacles. A history of his dynamic relationship with his Palestinian counterpart Abu Ala, a former Palestinian Authority prime minister who has become Savir's close friend since their first meeting in Norway 15 years ago, would provide fodder for another, less theoretical book about putting peace first. (Sept.)
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From the Publisher

Praise for Peace First

"Peace First is a brave and ambitious attempt to redefine the very cornerstone of diplomacy--peacemaking. Uri Savir speaks from experience, writes with passion, and provokes thought on every page. This is a unique and timely contribution."
--Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State

"Uri Savir has endeavored to confront important challenges by offering a peacemaking puzzle that is courageous, innovative and based on his extensive experience as a peacemaker. This groundbreaking book presents readers with a fresh approach to the most important challenge of this century: making peace."
--Shimon Peres, President of Israel

"Every human conflict has its own unique roots and requires its own unique solutions. There are, however, some crucial factors that are common to most conflicts and that must be considered in all peace initiatives. We can accordingly learn from the experiences of others in the never-ending search for peace. Uri Savir's new book, Peace First, analyzes many of these requirements and in so doing makes a significant contribution to our understanding of peacemaking."
--F. W. de Klerk, former State President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

"One need only read today's headlines to see that the art of diplomacy has not kept pace with a fast-changing world. Peace First is Uri Savir's welcome attempt to bring peacemaking into the 21st century by having it address not only borders and the armies that guard them but the people who live behind them as well. This is an important and necessary book."
--Dan Rather, Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist

"Uri Savir has succeeded in linking his experience in negotiation, peacemaking, and peace building to develop a fresh concept of the process of reaching consensus. His views broaden traditional approaches to recognize that holistic and lasting solutions must include consideration of value systems as well as the social and cultural context for which treaties are designed. His book is compelling both in its review of history and in its recommendations to future peacemakers."
--James Wolfensohn, former President of the World Bank

"Self-proclaimed foreign policy experts will dismiss this book as unrealistic and they will be flat wrong. Savir unmasks the formal negotiating process to which they are so addicted and shows that these table games cannot work by themselves, that they must have political support at the international and local levels. And he shows exactly how to do it."
--Dr. Leslie H. Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations and former New York Times columnist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576755967
• ISBN-13: 978-1576755969
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,852,036 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally an international relations book offering practical recommendations!, August 22, 2008

By 

Megan Hallahan - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peace First: A New Model to End War (Hardcover)

Setting it apart from most books in its category, Peace First offers practical recommendations on how to build a viable culture of peace and the importance of doing so much before war becomes a threat. Savir's presentation of a new approach to international relations - glocalization, which empowers local governments to bring the peace process to the people the way national government just cannot - leaves you with the feeling that there is hope for a more peaceful future. Equally important, Savir's thorough yet concise examination of peace provides a solid foundation for his arguments while examples from his experience in peacemaking in the Middle East make the book a must-read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pragmatic optimism, August 16, 2008

By 

J. D. Williams (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peace First: A New Model to End War (Hardcover)

Written in an engaging and accessible style, this book should be read by policy makers, politicians, corporate executives, non-profit workers, and anyone who believes that a more peaceful world is both possible and necessary. Despite my approach as a layman in the world of peace and conflict studies and international relations, I found this book incredibly compelling--as much for Savir's earnestness as for his practical peacemaking model. Savir is a true peacemaker and diplomat, and Peace First perfectly captures his unwavering dedication to cultural understanding and compassion. I highly recommend this book to anyone needing a dose of pragmatic optimism in troubling times.