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Israel Needs support of the West

by Staff Writer

"Israel needs the support of the West. An isolated Israel is just bad news from the vantage point of the West's own security..." wrote Prof. Efraim Inbar (political science at Bar-Ilan University). He is also the director of Begin Saadat Center for strategic research.

In his article at "Hauma", Prof. Inber assesses the situation of Israel in the Middle East. His conclusions are: 1. The U.S.A. is the only super-power in the Middle East; 2. The threat to Israel from Iraq simply disappeared, on the other hand the future of Iraq is not clear yet; 3. Iran is a problem because her "Shihav 3" can reach Israel. Gen. (Res) Meir Dagan, the head of the "Mossad", warned the Knesset that Iran can turn into the threat to the existence of Israel! Mopaz, Israel's Minister of Defense, said that Israel will have to act against this potential threat; 4. As to Turkey, Prof. Inbar expresses a victory of this state against terrorism and militant radicalism. The intensive collaboration between Israel and Turkey means a better future to peace between Israel and the Arabs. Today the new regime in Ankara did not change to good relationships with Israel. AKP, the ruling party, is a Muslim party; 5. Israel has tried to achieve a peace program with Arafat and the P.L.O. The P.L.O. has preferred violence over peace negotiations. In September of 2000, Arafat even rejected the attempt to achieve peace by Ehud Barak. The radicals pushed the Palestinians into the camps of Hamas. The militants have received aid from Iran and from the various anti-Western Muslim movements.

Prof. Inbar concluded that Israel is in the front line of the West who looks for stability in the region.