"This book scrutinizes how three small Scandinavian countries - Norway, Sweden and Denmark - developed a unique foreign policy that brought Israel and the Palestinians to the negotiating table. Bringing together the field of soft power diplomacy with the field of conflict mediation, the text analyses the specific type of peace diplomacy offered by Scandinavia. It identifies the different methods and policies of the three Scandinavian countries, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their mediation strategies. Close examination of the historical record through primary and secondary sources in five languages reveals how Scandinavian involvement worked over almost three decades and to what extent it shaped the content of the Oslo peace talks. The author documents how the Scandinavian countries employed soft power diplomacy to enlist the aid of more powerful countries and international institutions to compensate for their limited authority and legitimacy, and how they used the Middle East peace process to strengthen their own national interests, financial standing and international status. The book will appeal to scholars, diplomats, politicians, educators and students interested in Scandinavian foreign policy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict"--

This book scrutinises how three small Scandinavian countries – Norway, Sweden and Denmark – developed a unique foreign policy that brought Israel and the Palestinians to the negotiating table. Bringing together the field of soft power diplomacy with the field of conflict mediation, the text analyses the specific type of peace diplomacy offered by Scandinavia. It identifies the different methods and policies of the three Scandinavian countries, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their mediation strategies. Close examination of the historical record through primary and secondary sources in five languages reveals how Scandinavian involvement worked over almost three decades and to what extent it shaped the content of the Oslo peace talks. The author documents how the Scandinavian countries employed soft power diplomacy to enlist the aid of more powerful countries and international institutions to compensate for their limited authority and legitimacy, and how they used the Middle East peace process to strengthen their own national interests, financial standing and international status. The book will appeal to scholars, diplomats, politicians, educators and students interested in Scandinavian foreign policy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is arguably the most contentious and emotionally charged protracted identity-based conflict still raging in the world today. This thesis argues that third-party mediation by small states such as Sweden has proved an indispensable tool of conflict management in such a conflict context. The conclusion and implementation of any permanent status agreement, however, will in all likelihood require multi-party mediation. Though bereft of coercive political power, Sweden has played an important role in the peace process by encouraging dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians determined to take concerted steps toward a negotiated, peaceful resolution to their conflict. Involvement has been possible thanks to excellent relations with the moderate peace camps of both sides. Beginning with the initiation of relations between the US and the PLO in 1988, this thesis analyses the significance of contributions by Swedish mediators throughout the peace process. Additionally, it analyses the way each instance of small-state mediation, including the Norwegian mediation of the Oslo Accords, was informed and influenced by the efforts that preceded it. Historical analysis suggests the American mediating role in the negotiations themselves should be minimal. A coercive bargaining strategy for which America is best equipped and is most likely to wield is unlikely to yield concessions on the existential issues that drive the conflict. As the world's pre-eminent superpower and Israel's closest ally, the US will undoubtedly be indispensable to the finalising, sponsorship and implementation of any eventual permanent status agreement. Accountability, perhaps the main American failing during the Oslo process, should be their main focus. For lasting peace to prevail, Israelis and Palestinians must widely acknowledge the legitimacy of the other, and recognise that their own existence and security is intertwined with that of their counterpart. Third parties can help bring them together and try to appeal to their mutual interests, but cannot make the necessary concessions for them.

Sweden is separated from Israel and the Palestinian territories not only by 3,000 kilometers but by nearly polar political differences. While the Middle East conjures up images of ancient civilizations and intractable conflicts, Sweden—a comparatively small Scandinavian country on Europe's northern periphery—has enjoyed two centuries of peace since the Napoleonic Wars. Yet, against all odds, Sweden has developed exceptionally strong—and at times tumultuous—relations with Israel and the Palestinians. Surprisingly, this Nordic nation has even emerged as an unexpected facilitator of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. This groundbreaking book by political scientist Daniel Schatz provides the first comprehensive historic overview and in-depth analysis of Sweden's political and diplomatic relations with Israel and the Palestinians from 1948 to 2024. Based on fifteen years of archival research and over 100 exclusive interviews with key leaders—including Swedish, Israeli, and Palestinian prime ministers, foreign ministers and ambassadors —it offers unprecedented insights into this fascinating diplomatic journey. From Swedish government offices to secret diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah, readers are granted rare access to the corridors of power. Witness firsthand how Swedish decision-makers have navigated the complexities of Middle Eastern politics since the post-war era and played a facilitating role in the peace process. Discover the untold story of how a distant Nordic nation became a player in one of the world's most enduring conflicts.

This book has highlighted the potential of regional conflicts to escalate and cause a crisis to global security. The cases of conflict in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia demonstrate that regional conflicts can have devastating consequences, including displacement of people, economic devastation, and political instability. It is therefore critical to address regional conflicts and establish preventative measures and effective conflict resolution strategies to prevent them from escalating. Preventative measures can include investment in regional stability and development, and the establishment of diplomatic channels for resolving conflicts. Effective conflict resolution strategies, such as mediation and negotiation, can be used to resolve regional conflicts before they become a crisis.

Recent upheavals in the Middle East are challenging long-held assumptions about the dynamics between the United States, the Arab world, and Israel. In Pathways to Peace, today's leading experts explain these changes in the region and their positive implications for the prospect of a sustained peace between Israel and the Arab World.

This book provides a ground-breaking assessment of the Israeli national security experience from the establishment of the country through to the present day. Seventy-five years after its establishment, the State of Israel continues to face an acute national security predicament as a result of the still unresolved Arab–Israeli conflict. This monograph offers a new framework for analyzing this experience, first exploring the crucial events of the past and present that define it, including interstate wars, asymmetrical wars, low-intensity conflicts, and developments in weapons of mass destruction. The book then probes how Israel’s evolving national security doctrine has addressed these various challenges over the years, highlighting the roles of a number of variables: deterrence, warning, and decision; strategic depth and defensible borders; the quality and quantity of fighting men and machines; intelligence; self-reliance in military matters; foreign policy; and the influence of ethnic demography, societal resilience, economic prosperity, and water security. Written in accessible, non-technical language, the book will appeal to general readers seeking an introduction to Israeli security as well as to specialists and researchers in various fields, including Israeli history, Middle Eastern politics, and security studies.