Publication

The ‘New Middle East’ is a title with an unhappy history. In 1993, Shimon Peres, then Israeli Foreign Minister and now Israeli President, declared that Israeli-Arab peace would be the foundation for a dramatic regional transformation. A ‘New Middle East’, he argued, could be built upon a web of economic, cultural and scientific links spun across the region. His vision barely survived the scepticism of his fellow Israelis and the suspicions of the Arabs. Ultimately, Peres’ vision of a ‘New Middle East’ perished where it began. The demise of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking put an end to any dreams of Israeli-Arab moneymaking.