Let My People Know

"It took three and a half years to pull the Middle East out of what had been an almost perpetual state of strife and bloodshed. In less than 150 days, the Biden presidency succeeded in bringing back the tragic status quo. Let My People Know will explain what the new administration clearly doesn't "know" about diplomacy and foreign affairs, what it must and must not do moving forward, and what the Middle East as a whole should now attempt in order to return to the path of modernity, security, and prosperity. On January 28, 2020, the "deal of the century" was announced in the East Room of the White House. The list of attendees to celebrate the seminal event was carefully curated to feature high-ranking members of the Trump administration, supporters of the president, and prominent pro-Israel personalities. The more surprising guests were the ambassadors to the United States from Oman, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. The fact that they received the longest and loudest applause served as a glimpse at what the future could hold. From the release of the plan to the completion of the normalization agreement with Morocco in December 2020, this was the most fascinating and impactful 11 months in over a generation of U.S.-Middle East foreign policy. Let My People Know will show where the "experts" previously went wrong in trying to establish peace, where President Trump's team went right, and, most importantly, where the still-unfolding Abraham Accords might take the United States along with Israel and the broader Middle East in the future. Aryeh Lightstone had the unique privilege of being in the room to witness nearly every major policy discussion and decision involving U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East during the Trump administration. He was tasked with the most critical, complex, and sensitive component of the Abraham Accords: putting them into practice--and quickly, no less. He was on every flight to and from Israel and the other Accords nations. Lightstone led the first Abraham Accord Business Summit and the Abraham Fund, and, further, served as the key point of contact between Israel and the Accords nations for all aspects of implementation. He met with all of the region's leaders and earned the trust of the key players, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner. As such, Lightstone was the bridge that spanned myriad cultures and personalities, all during a pandemic and a number of incredible geopolitical events. Let My People Know will stand apart from other titles on the Middle East for at least two reasons. First, it will be an eye-witness of the Abraham Accords and the oft-unbelievable developments behind them. Second, Lightstone is also a rabbi and an enthralling storyteller. His book will provide readers with an unvarnished, human, colorful, and eminently readable account of the subtle contours and idiosyncratic facets of the Middle East. In turn, Let My People Know will be a book to which many different audiences will turn for years to come"--