Secrets I Won't Take with Me
Home, War, and the Struggle for Peace in Israel
An Israeli political leader’s riveting first-hand account of pivotal moments from recent Israeli history, including the Oslo Peace Accords, the founding of the Birthright Initiative, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the rise of the Israeli far right, and more
In Secrets I Won't Take with Me, Yossi Beilin, a key Israeli political and ministerial leader, offers an intimate and candid memoir that chronicles pivotal events in the nation’s recent history. From the crucible of its founding to the complexities of the modern era, Beilin reveals an insider’s perspective and previously undocumented insights about the events that have and continue to shape Israel.
Beginning his career as an academic and a journalist, Beilin became the spokesperson of the Labor Party in 1977. Among his many career highlights include the chairmanship of the Meretz-Yachad Party, Minister of Justice, Minister of Religious Affairs, and Deputy Finance Minister, and perhaps most significantly, as Deputy Foreign Minister during the Israel-PLO Oslo Peace Accords. As a key architect of the Oslo Peace Accords, he shares unprecedented details of the negotiations that defined an era.
Beyond diplomacy, Beilin illuminates his role in shaping Israel’s identity, from steering Israel away from its alliance with apartheid South Africa to the foundation of the influential Birthright program. With unflinching honesty, Beilin navigates the triumphs and tragedies of a nation, from the euphoria of the Six-Day War to the heartbreak of Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination. A deeply personal memoir of one man’s life interwoven with a nation’s, Beilin’s stunning account of his career serves as a masterful tour d’horizon of Israel’s recent past and evolving future.
Yossi Beilin has always been ahead of his time and invariably right. . . . Defying the critics and the extremists, he has refused to concede ground in the search for peace. This book is a welcome self-portrait of a hero of our time.' —Dan Kurtzer, U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2005
In this excellent autography, Yossi takes the reader inside two of his great life initiatives—the Oslo Peace Process and the Birthright Israel Project. This book is both historically important and a hopeful lesson . . . of how much one person can make a big difference for his country and the world.' —Senator Joseph Lieberman
[Beilin’s] creative mind always tried to better Israel and the Jewish people—whether it was to bring peace closer to Israel and the Mideast or to strengthen Jewish identity and pride. He is a blessing to Israel and the Jewish people. For those who care for Israel and for Jewish continuity, reading Yossi's life story is a pleasant obligation.'—Abraham H. Foxman, National Director, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), 1987–2015
