ABSTRACT
Authoritative military histories abundantly document efforts by Israel to uphold its national security in keeping with its inherent right of collective or “individual self-defense” under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Far less analyzed and certainly less respected are (a) the country’s conceptual approach to the alternative of diplomatic bargaining and (b) its practical efforts at preserving as well as promoting marginally higher levels of security through negotiation. This chapter aims to fill those lacunae by focusing on the circumstances influencing Israeli efforts to attain national security through statecraft and the art of negotiation. After surveying the chronicle and character of Israeli–Palestinian diplomatic contacts, especially, and the reasons for their failure, the chapter concludes with a brief analysis of two possible alternative formats that might enhance Israel’s security.
