The Mirage of Peace: Understanding the Never-Ending Conflict in the Middle East

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Former TIME Magazine Jerusalem bureau chief David Aikman takes a sober, balanced impactful look at the Middle East, bringing a journalist’s mind and a believer’s heart to his examination of a region aflame. In this timely and informed exploration of current Middle East issues that goes beyond headlines and sound bites, Aikman fills in the blanks for thoughtful Christians, accurately tracing recent history and fairly portraying the leaders who have made that history. With a firm grasp on a biblical understanding of Israel’s past, present and future, he turns a critical eye on the political and religious policies of the region’s prime players, resorting neither to blind pro Israeli sentiment nor to reactionary pro Palestinian bias. Aikman challenges us to a uniquely Christian approach to the Middle East, respect, reason and love, rather than unqualified tolerance on the one hand or religious crusading on the other.

Former TIME Magazine Jerusalem bureau chief David Aikman takes on the headline- grabbing subject of the Middle East in The Mirage of Peace: Understanding the Never-ending Conflict in the Middle East. In this comprehensive look at the region, Aikman goes beyond the headlines and sound-bites to examine the complex and deeply rooted sources of the bloodshed and discord that seem to charaterize the Middle East. With a journalist's objectivity and an historian's analysis, Aikman, who is now a college history professor, explains the historical context of the animosities dominating today's news, giving readers an understanding of the personalities, relationships and web of complicated loyalties behind the thorny issues that have defied all attempts to bring a lasting peace to the region.