Former Israeli peace negotiator Savir (The Process
) unveils his proposal for achieving lasting world peace: a carefully conceived and constructed model “that leads to a future of cooperation and understanding.” The model for peace is predicated upon a shift from globalization to “glocalization,” based on the idea that city leaders can forge bonds across boundaries that national leaders cannot because “cities have become our primary social unit... in both the developed and developing worlds.” Savir emphasizes that peace must come from the grassroots rather than the top down and offers practicable solutions, from joint economic ventures designed to attract tourists to a NATO-like Mediterranean alliance. This book is compelling not for its specific blueprint but for the author's eternal optimism in the face of so many depressing obstacles. A history of his dynamic relationship with his Palestinian counterpart Abu Ala, a former Palestinian Authority prime minister who has become Savir's close friend since their first meeting in Norway 15 years ago, would provide fodder for another, less theoretical book about putting peace first. (Sept.)
