“The Contemporary Middle East: A Documentary History centers around speeches and diplomatic agreements, UN and other resolutions, and additional texts that effected or reflect important events and remain of enduring significance. In some cases, the documents are of no immediate urgency to events today, but examining the role they played in the past is essential to a full understanding of the contemporary world. Such examples include the secret agreement in which Britain, France, and Israel decided to invade Egypt in 1956 to seize the Suez Canal. Other documents remain as compelling today as when they were originally produced. Examples of these include the treaties that brought peace (or at least the absence of war) between Israel and two of its imme- diate neighbors, Egypt and Jordan. These treaties—reflective of decisions by Arab lead- ers to come to terms with Israel’s existence in exchange for the return of captured land and other concessions—continue to influence the course of events in the region on a daily basis.”

John Felton