Why does the Israeli army still occupy the vast majority of the West Bank? Why has the Palestinian standard of living declined dramatically since the beginning of the Oslo peace process? Why do suicide bombers attack Israel's cities? Fifty years after Israel's founding, why is there no peace between Israelis and Palestinians? The Absence of Peace offers an answer to all these questions, combining an analysis of the political events surrounding the Oslo process with an account of life on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under the 'peace' regime. Nicholas Guyatt explains the historical context of the latest peace efforts and the motives and interests of the various players, regional and international, who are party to the agreements. This book also plots the disastrous course on which the present peace process is headed, towards a greater Israel, a series of Palestinian reservations and even more violence between the two sides. Most importantly, The Absence of Peace rejects the suggestions that there is no solution to the conflict, and offers practical ideas for a more stable and enduring agreement between Palestinians and Israelis. The peace process in the Middle East has been seriously misunderstood, in my opinion, with very unfortunate human consequences. Nick Guyatt's lucid and well-informed study is a badly needed corrective. I hope that it will be widely read, and will help bring about a redirection that is imperative if ominous prospects are to be averted, and some measure of peace and justice are to be achieved.