Israel Matzav

'Of course Israel's not cheering for the Arab spring' but it's protecting the Saudis

Even Leftie David Ignatius gets what the denizens of New York's 8th Avenue cannot or will not get. Israel has no reason to be happy about the 'Arab spring' (Hat Tip: Dan F).

Among the optimists, relatively speaking, is said to be Defense Minister Ehud Barak. He thinks Egypt and other neighbors will move toward a version of the “Turkish model” of Islamic democracy, which may be cool toward Israel but will also be pragmatic. Barak thinks Israel can’t simply wait for the storm to pass. The process of change is irreversible and may eventually be benign as the Arab societies mature.

A darker view is taken by some of the officials who know the Arab world best. They think that for at least the next several years, as Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders try to consolidate power, they may appear cooperative. But at the core of the Brotherhood’s ideology is rejection of Israel, and any compromises with Israel will be tactical moves, rather than real peace.

Israel’s existence, never easy, has gotten more complicated and unpredictable. “We are still inside this huge historical shift,” says one senior official, “and we don’t know where it’s going to take us.”

Read it all. The most interesting part is Ignatius' claim that 'our friends the Saudis' are quietly relying on Israel to protect them rather than the United States.

Labels: Arab spring, our friends the Saudis

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:02 PM