Israel & Palestine, Asian, Middle Eastern, Political Science 

Since the 1880s Arab-Zionist relations have been characterized primarily by escalating tension struggle and violence, while each party in this dispute has had its fair share of experience of the other as active belligerent, little has been written about the extent to which each has dealt with the other as a negotiation partner.
Dr Caplan’s sober study fills a gap in the literature by analyzing the numerous- but truitless- attempts made by Arab and Zionist spokesman To fine that elusive formula by which their conflicting aims and interest in Palestine might have been reconciled. Beginning with the first recorded attempt at an Arab-Zionist accord in 1913-14 the first volume of futile diplomacy goes in to re-examine the famous Weizmann- Faisal agreement of 1919, and sheds new light lesser known episodes which took place in the years leading up to immediately following the 1929 Palestine riots.
Rather than looking at each encounter as a missed opportunity and seeking to apportion blame for its ultimate failure, the author focuses on five interrelated factors (1) the motive for negotiating (2) the timing of contacts (3) the status of the negotiation partners (4) the role and interest third parties, and (5) the proposed terms of agreement. The texts of thirty- six original documents of the period are reproduced, many published for the first time.
Early behind- the scenes negotiation continued sporadically against a background of deteriorating Arab- Jewish relations and growing pessimism and cynicism of leaders on the both sides. Yet, in the course of their futile attempts, would be negotiation learned much about their opposite- numbers arms and tactics. Larders gained valuable experience from these early encounters,9 reciprocal attitudes and pattern of interaction developed which would become more deeply- ingrained in later decades. One such pattern was the repeated attempt to overcome the bitter local contradictions between Palestinian Arab and Zionists through agreement between the latter and non-Palestinian Arab representatives.
The picture which emerges from this volume is one of parties in conflict learning how to use negotiating process for their own ends. Short of contemplating any substantial compromises in their ultimate- and inherently irreconcilable- national goals. During the period under review, neither side felt I that the worsening conflict required it to make any major concessions for the sake of an agreement with the other.

 

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company. - from Amzon 

Contents

Preface ..................................................................................... P. 1

Introduction .............................................................................. p. 5

1. Chapter 1 First Attempts ..........................................................P.10
Nature and Development of Arab- Zionist Relations in Palestine, 1882-1914.
Growing Awareness of a conflict. The Turkish Factor. First Negotiation
Attempts, 1913 Renewed contracts, 1914.Failure of the 1914 conference.

2. Chapter 2 Post- War Diplomacy,1918-1920 .................................p. 28
Aftermath of world war I. Arab Armenian Zionist Entente. First local contact:
Cairo and Palestine. The British Factor. Weizmann- Faisal negotiation. The
Undoing Weizmann-Faisal Agreement.

3. Chapter 3 High level meetings in the Early Twenties ........................P. 47
Another Palestinian- Zionist Encounter. Early Relations with Amir Abdullahi.
Syrian Nationalism. Collapse of the Cairo Talks

4. Chapter 4 Grass-Roots Contacts During the Twenties .......................P. 62
Local Zionist Proposals for an Agreement. Arab Initiative for an Agreement.
Arab and Jewish Motives for co-perpetration

5. Chapter 5 Relations in the wake of crisis,1929-1931 .........................P. 80
Negotiating Opportunities and the wailing wall.
Dispute. Uncertainties of British Policy.Third-party Intervention:H. St-John
Philby. Zionist Rejection of the Philby mediation. Split Zionist Rank.
Daniel Oliver: Quaker Mediator Preventive Diplomacy:
The Joint Bureau. Kalvaryaki's Personal Diplomacy.

Rutenberg Proposals. Weizmann's Personal Diplomacy. Development Scheme
Negotiation' Conclusion

6. Conclusion:...................................................................................p. 109
Lesson of Experience . Palestinian and Non-Palestinian Arabs. Third-Party
consideration. Terms of Agreement. Low priority of an Arab- Zionist Accord.