To my sons
Dan and Alon
who are part of Israel’s future

Israel is such a complex and contradictory country that it is often misunderstood. Israel’s New Future – Interviews consists of a series of interviews with Israeli experts and thinkers on important facets of the country’s future. It deals with likely changes, and those considered critical to the country’s development.

This book provides a panorama of Israel’s problems and the keys to solving them. It appears at a moment when major taboos of past decades have been broken but new equilibria have not yet been established. Israel and the Arabs may be on the road to peace, but formidable obstacles remain. This is a difficult but very rewarding time to reflect on the future.

 The subjects reviewed include future relations with the United States, Europe, the Vatican, the Islamic world and Jews abroad; the economic, social, cultural and environmental prospects of the country; and special communities such as ultra-Orthodox and kibbutz societies.

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The 16 interviewees come from the realms of, among others, politics, government, banking, academia, diplomacy and literature.

Recommendations

“Israel’s New Future is a remarkable collection of interviews with Israelis who articulate the problems and conflicting options currently facing their country and the Jewish people. What makes this volume particularly attractive is that the interviews demonstrate that the presentation of sophisticated thinking and enjoyable reading are not mutually exclusive.”

Isi Leibler, Co-Chairman, Governing Board, World Jewish Congress

“Manfred Gerstenfeld has selected an exciting interview format to explore some of the critical issues facing Israel’s future. Carefully selected experts share their vision of where Israel and the Middle East are heading. This thought-provoking book should be read by all who seek a better understanding of the forces shaping Israel’s future.”

Eli Dayan, Chairman, Labor Party Knesset Faction and the Coalition

“Each of us searches for insights constantly. This book can make an important contribution to our efforts to ensure that the road ahead will lead to even better days for Israel.”

Shoul N. Eisenberg, Chairman, The Israel Corporation

“The publication of Manfred Gerstenfeld’s book, Israel’s New Future, is timely indeed, as we face a window of opportunity for peace, Israel is presently at a crossroads, ‘gambling with history,’ which grants her future the need for a dimension of assessment imbued with vision.”

Eli Eyal, Member of the World Zionist Organization Executive and Chairman of the Department of Organization and Community Relations

Table of Contents

Manfred Gerstenfeld: Introduction                                         

SECTION ONE: OUTSIDE

Abba Eban: Challenges in the Aftermath of Peace                           

Yehezkel Dror: Israel’s Long-Range Prospects – A State at its Best Ever

Moshe Arens: Israel’s Insurance Value for the US

Dan Segre: Can Israel Ever Trust Europe?

Mordechai Abir: Islamic Fundamentalism, the Permanent Threat

Sergio Minerbi: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back – The Vatican, the Jews and Israel

Daniel Elazar: The Future of Israel-Diaspora Relations

David Bar-Ilan: The Loaded Dice of the Foreign Media are There to Stay

SECTION TWO: INSIDE

Peter Medding: Democracy and Electoral Change

Miriam Ben-Porat: Fighting the Administration’s Abuse of Power

Moshe Sanbar: More Impulses for Economic Growth

Israel Katz: Changing Social Policies

Uri Marinov: Peace Promotes Environmental Awareness

Abraham B. Yehoshua: New Components of Israel’s Identity

Menachem Friedman: Impending Changes for Ultra-Orthodox Society

Yaakov Gadish: A Recipe for Kibbutz Survival

 GLOSSARY