Balaam's prophecy

the long version

Balaam's Prophecy is a personal account of Jewish history in the years 1939-89. Written by Ambassador Naphtali Lau-Lavie, journalist and diplomat, who survived the horrors of Nazi concentration camps and later became a leading personality in the government of Israel, this book reflects upon major historic events during the second half of this century as experienced by the author. Lavie reveals epics of modern Jewish history. As an eyewitness to the decision-making process of the leadership in Israel in the years 1970-85, he describes fascinating occurrences in the Israeli struggle for existence and fateful decisions during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, as well as decisive moves at the time of negotiations with Egypt and the United States for peace, an agreement for which was finally signed in March 1979 on the lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. With his experience as Consul-General of Israel in New York, as emissary of the Jewish State to the largest Jewish diaspora, the author analyzes the ambivalent relationship between the Israelis and the Jewish minorities abroad. Because of his unique experience, he is able to examine the real difference between the two communities and their diverse agendas. In the author's opinion, they are not one community, as some portray themselves, and their respective realities indicate that they never will be.