Biden’s weekend reading: A book on how to ‘break through the toughest conflicts’

CNN —

As President Joe Biden exited the White House residence Friday evening to head to Camp David for the weekend, he was holding a hardcover copy of a newly released book: “Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict.”

The book, written by William Ury and published last month, is described as a guide to “time-tested practices that will help readers unlock their power to constructively engage and transform conflict,” according to publisher Harper Collins. “[I]t is an essential guide for anyone looking to break through the toughest conflicts—in their workplace, family, community or the world.”

The publisher also says the author “draws on his nearly fifty years of experience and knowledge grappling with the world’s toughest conflicts to offer a way out of the seemingly impossible problems of our time.”

Palestinians walk through the destruction from the Israeli offensive in the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Related article Talks on an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal appear on track after killings at Gaza aid site, officials say

Biden is currently grappling with what is arguably one of the world’s toughest conflicts: the Israel-Hamas war. That was fully evident in the questions he received from reporters moments before he boarded Marine One, when he was asked more than once about the situation in Israel and Gaza, as well as the state of ceasefire-hostages negotiations. His assessment was mixed.

“I’m hoping so. We’re still working real hard at it, not there yet,” he said when asked by CNN whether a ceasefire deal could be reached by Ramadan.

Moments later, he told a different reporter when asked whether a hostage deal could be reached by Monday: “It’s not