Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Easton Press Boutros Boutros-Ghali books

Egypt's Road to Jerusalem - signed first edition - 1997

Who is Boutros Boutros-Ghali?

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, born on November 14, 1922, in Cairo, Egypt, was an Egyptian diplomat and statesman who played a prominent role in international affairs, serving as the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations. His life and career were dedicated to diplomacy, conflict resolution, and the pursuit of global peace. Boutros Boutros-Ghali belonged to a prominent Egyptian Coptic Christian family with a rich tradition of public service. He earned a law degree from Cairo University in 1946 and continued his education in Paris, obtaining a degree in international relations from the University of Paris in 1949. His diplomatic career began in the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and he quickly rose through the ranks, representing Egypt in various international forums. Boutros-Ghali became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1977, and his diplomatic skills earned him recognition on the global stage.

In 1991, Boutros Boutros-Ghali achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first African and Arab Secretary-General of the United Nations. His tenure from 1992 to 1996 coincided with a period of significant global challenges, including conflicts in the Balkans and Africa. Boutros-Ghali worked tirelessly to address these conflicts and promote international cooperation. However, his time as Secretary-General was not without controversy. The UN's response to conflicts in Bosnia and Rwanda during his tenure faced criticism, and tensions with the United States led to his failure to secure a second term. Nevertheless, his efforts in advocating for preventive diplomacy, conflict prevention, and the expansion of the UN's role in global affairs left a lasting impact.

Following his tenure at the United Nations, Boutros Boutros-Ghali continued to contribute to international affairs through various roles. He served as Secretary-General of La Francophonie, an organization of French-speaking nations, and remained active in diplomatic circles. Boutros Boutros-Ghali was a scholar, fluent in multiple languages, and authored numerous books and academic articles on international relations and diplomacy. His intellectual contributions added depth to the discourse on global governance.

Boutros Boutros-Ghali passed away on February 16, 2016, in Cairo. His legacy endures as a statesman who navigated the complexities of international diplomacy during a pivotal period. His commitment to peace and multilateralism left an indelible mark on the United Nations and the pursuit of a more cooperative and harmonious world.

Egypt's Road to Jerusalem - A Diplomat's Story of the Struggle for Peace in the Middle East

What we have come to call the Arab-Israeli peace process began in 1977, when Egypt's president, Anwar Sadat, decided, with no warning and against fierce resistance, to break with his Arab neighbors, defy the central tenet of their formidable alliance, and travel to Jerusalem with his minister of state for foreign affairs. Boutros Boutros-Ghali was that minister, and this is his astonishing account of the brave and often difficult diplomatic journey that began that cold November night and ended with the landmark Camp David agreement three years later.

Egypt's Road to Jerusalem is the first insider's account, from an Arab point of view, of the historic agreement that opened the way to the Arab-Israeli peace process and established the direction of America's relationship with both Israel and its Arab neighbors. Reconstructed from the diaries Boutros Boutros-Ghali kept at the time, this is a faithful record of fascinating conversations with an elliptical and visionary Sadat; a resilient Ezer Weizman, whose charm forged the first bonds of friendship and respect; a relentless Jimmy Carter; an unpredictable Moshe Dayan.

There are surprising snapshots here of Camp David where members of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations bumped into one another in pajamas and sports clothes and while bicycling on forest paths and of encounters with stunning figures from the world of high diplomacy, from Tito and Fidel Castro to the poet-president Léopold Senghor and the murderous and peculiar Idi Amin.

Egypt's Road to Jerusalem reveals the difficulties faced by Arab negotiators then and now as they confront a suspicious and intransigent right-wing government in Israel on the one hand, and dissension at home and throughout the Arab world on the other. You will discover here the real motives behind Egypt's delicate balancing between its national interest and its commitment to the Palestinian people; between its allegiance to pan-Arabism and its decision to part from Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to open the way for peace.

Egypt and Israel's breakthrough agreement at Camp David was one of the defining diplomatic moments of our time. Here is how it all began.