Epilogue Summary and Analysis

Friedman believes that there will be no serious negotiations in the Middle East until the involved parties are ready to negotiate a settlement. The Israelis, according to Friedman, hold all of the cards in holding the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This means that the relevant question is what does it take to get the Israelis to trade all or part of these territories? He does not believe that a Palestinian state will come into existence or that Israeli withdrawal will be easily accomplished unless it is with the assent of the majority of the Israeli population. But the population is confused about what it wants and the intifada tells them that the longer it goes on, the worse it will be. At this point in time the situation is deadlocked.

There has to be a strong Israeli leadership that can...