Contact: Elisabeth Calamari
212-206-5325
ecalamari@fsgbooks.com
With the situation changing daily between Palestinians and Israelis and in the Middle East
generally, Ambassador Dennis Ross waited as long as possible before completing the last
part of this book. It is fortuitous that we publish on the heels of former president Bill
Clinton’s much anticipated memoir, for Ross was Clinton’s emissary in the Middle East
and the facilitator of any lasting legacy the Clinton administration lays claim to in the
peace process. Here now the complete story from the man who was there...
THE MISSING PEACE
The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace
DENNIS ROSS
U.S. Envoy to the Middle East, 1988-2000
“A masterful, riveting, and scrupulously fair account . . .There are wonderful insights here
into the strengths and weaknesses of the numerous players in this drama, including, of
course, Arafat, Peres, Barak, Asad, and more obscure but still significant figures . . . This
is a brilliant and important insider’s account that is essential reading for
anyone wishing to better understand this seemingly intractable problem.”
—Booklist
“THE MISSING PEACE is the definitive and gripping account of the sometimes
exhilarating, often tortured twists and turns in the Middle East peace process, viewed from
the front row by one of its major players, Dennis Ross. No one worked harder for peace
than Dennis. He gave it everything he had and served our nation very well. Now he has
provided us with a rich account of what happened that is essential to understanding both
the past and the possible paths to the future.”
—former president William J. Clinton
“THE MISSING PEACE is a brilliant behind-the-scenes account of history in
the making. Only Dennis Ross could have written such a lively, provocative, and
insightful book. This definitive telling of a fascinating and tragic tale will be
indispensable to any serious student of the Arab-Israeli dispute.”
—Madeleine Albright, former U.S. secretary of state
“I’ve never known anyone so deeply committed to the cause of peace in the
Middle East as Dennis Ross. This book reflects not only that dedication but his
brilliance in writing about it in a colorful and comprehensive way.”
—Warren Christopher, former U.S. secretary of state
“Dennis Ross was at the heart of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for twelve momentous
and tumultuous years. He provides in fascinating detail his account of what happened and
his reasoning as events transpired. He rendered a great public service as tireless negotiator
and has done so again with this well-written and instructive book—a classic must-read
for anyone interested in the Middle East.”
─George Shultz, former U.S. secretary of state
“Few Americans have had a more intimate involvement with the complex issues that
divide the Middle East than Dennis Ross, as U.S. envoy and chief negotiator under two
Presidents. THE MISSING PEACE presents a candid, thoughtful, and detailed
picture of the process and the participants.”
─Dr. Henry Kissinger, former U.S. secretary of state
“THE MISSING PEACE is amazing narrative. Ross, who knows Mideast diplomacy better
than any other American, does something essential if there is ever to be peace: quite
simply, he tells the truth. In doing so, he dispels the myths that block a deal. This is the
one essential book that should be read by everyone who cares about this
crucial topic.”
—Walter Isaacson, president of the Aspen Institute and author of
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
“THE MISSING PEACE is imbued with wisdom, and its analytical content is vital
in helping understand the complex facets of the Middle East. It is written with a mix of
empathy and sadness, in character with the conflicting nature of the region.”
─Shimon Peres, former Israeli prime minister
Dennis Ross, chief Middle East peace negotiator in the presidential administrations of
George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, is recognized by both Republicans and Democrats as
the expert on the peace process. Charged for over a decade with educating presidents and
the Congress on all matters dealing with the Middle East, Ross is that rare figure respected
and trusted by both the right and the left, Palestinians and Israelis alike.
THE MISSING PEACE is far and away the most candid “inside” account of the Middle
East peace process ever published. With unprecedented access and candor, Ross recounts
the maneuverings of both sides, and of the United States as well: the back-room dealings
and late-night negotiations, what was said, how each side saw the other behind closed
doors and ultimately, why the Israelis and Palestinians, and their Arab neighbors, see the
world the way they do. For the first time, the dramatic and often secretive nature of the
peace process is laid bare, and the reasons for its faltering are displayed for all to see.
THE MISSING PEACE is likely to be controversial; it is unquestionably as truthful and
informative a book on the peace process as is likely to be published in our time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ambassador Dennis Ross is Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for
Near East Policy. For more than twelve years, Ambassador Ross played a leading role in
shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process and in dealing directly with the
parties in negotiations. A highly skilled diplomat, Ambassador Ross was this country’s
point man on the peace process in both the George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton
administrations. He was instrumental in assisting Israelis and Palestinians in reaching the
1995 Interim Agreement; he also successfully brokered the Hebron Accord in 1997,
facilitated the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, and intensively worked to bring Israel and
Syria together.
A scholar and diplomat with more than two decades of experience in Soviet and Middle
East policy, Ambassador Ross worked closely with secretaries of state James Baker,
Warren Christopher, and Madeleine Albright. Prior to his service as special Middle East
coordinator under President Clinton, Ross served as director of the State Department’s
Policy Planning office in the first Bush administration. In that position, he played a
prominent role in developing U.S. policy toward the former Soviet Union, the unification
of Germany and its integration into NATO, arms control negotiations, and the
development of the 1991 Gulf War coalition. During the Reagan administration, he served
as director of Near East and South Asian affairs on the National Security Council staff and
as deputy director of the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment. Ambassador Ross was
awarded the Presidential Medal for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service by President
Clinton, and Secretaries Baker and Albright presented him with the State Department’s
highest award.
A 1970 graduate of UCLA, Ambassador Ross wrote his doctoral dissertation on Soviet
decision-making, and from 1984 to 1986 served as executive director of the BerkeleyStanford program on Soviet International Behavior. He has received UCLA’s highest
medal and has been named UCLA alumni of the year. He has also received honorary
doctorates from the Jewish Theological Seminary and Syracuse University.
Ambassador Ross has published extensively on the former Soviet Union, arms control, and
the greater Middle East, contributing numerous chapters to anthologies. In the 1970s and
1980s, his articles appeared in World Politics, Political Science Quarterly, Orbis,
International Security, Survival, and Journal of Strategic Studies. Since leaving the
government in 2001, he has published in Foreign Policy and The National Interest. Mr.
Ross is also a frequent contributor to the The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal,
The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times.
THE MISSING PEACE by Dennis Ross will be published on August 9, 2004; ISBN 0374-19973-6; $35.00.
For more information please contact Elisabeth Calamari, director of publicity at Farrar,
Straus and Giroux: 212-206-5325 / ecalamari@fsgbooks.com.