After two years of intense negotiations President John F. Brander has succeeded in bringing together Israel and the Palestinians to sign a peace accord-the mission that has eluded even the most determined statesmen for more than 60 years. Resolving this bitter conflict-at the epicenter of Islamic hostility towards the West-will mark the beginning of the end of the world's clash of civilizations. As the parties iron out final details in preparation for a ceremony on the White House lawns, David Dekel, a handsome young researcher in geological remote sensing at Israel's Ben-Gurion University makes a remarkable discovery that throws the entire process into a spin. Fifty meters below the surface of the soon-to-be-surrendered West Bank town of Jenin, Dekel discovers an oil trap large enough to meet Israel's energy needs for the next 100 years.