“This is paradise,” said Daniel Abraham as he looked down from the heights of his suite on the 17th floor of the Hilton on the magnificent Tel Aviv beachfront. “What a beach. And the sea, tell me please, what in God’s name is wrong here. What’s wrong with you Israelis? Why don’t you understand that you can truly turn this place into paradise?”

Daniel Abraham is already 89. One year and one day younger than the person he calls “my big brother,” President Shimon Peres. In the meantime, he’s not slowing down. A Jewish-American billionaire, who dedicates much of his energy, and his funds, to promote peace in the Middle East. The S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace is alive and kicking. Abraham is still shuttling between regional capitals. This week he was in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah, before returning to Washington and Palm Beach, where he resides, of course, on the beach. I meet him, from time to time, on the quick trips he makes to our region. I absorb some of this man’s energy and optimism, his very clear and far-reaching worldview, his Sisyphean, ceaseless efforts to put an end to the bloody conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Over the past 20 years, Abraham has conducted innumerable shuttle diplomacy missions between regional leaders, generally from Jerusalem to Ramallah and back, but to other places as well. He’s like a member of Shimon Peres’ family. He had an open door to late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He defines Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “friend” (although they haven’t met in two years). He eats lengthy dinners with Palestinian Chairman Abu Mazen, has visited most Middle Eastern capitals dozens of times. He has covered every inch of this region numerous times in an attempt to find the formula for redemption. When we meet, he wants me to provide him with an analysis of the Israeli public. What do you want, what do you think now, who are you afraid of. This week, in Tel Aviv, was the first time I noticed signs that he might be giving up. Today, in Abraham’s smile, you can also see the first signs of frustration. “Things could be so good here,” he said. “I just don’t understand you. I truly don’t.”

“Israel is a powerhouse,” said Abraham. “What a country you’ve built here. The economy is stable, the best air force in the world. You are strong, well equipped and organized, light years ahead of everything around you. You have high-tech that is a world leader. Who is a threat to you, who are you afraid of, for God’s sake? Egypt? Have you seen what’s going on in Egypt? Syria? Jordan? The Palestinians, who are still living under occupation? What are you afraid of?” Abraham continued, “It’s as if some six-foot tall, 30-year-old bully who is solid muscle will come along and be afraid of me, a 90-year old coot. Israel has nothing to fear. Israel is a country in full bloom that is strong and stable, enjoys endless support from the US, with domestic product per capita on par with Europe. A country that is experiencing growth, is vital, yet still continues to conduct itself like a scared little waif, with a mentality that maintains that the whole world is against us and our destruction is imminent. Who will destroy you? Who will throw you into the sea, for God’s sake? The only threat to Israel is demography, the fear that Israel will find itself in 10 or 20 years from now as a country of all its citizens, with a non-Jewish majority, and then it will be too late to regain its footing.”