Analysis / Crises with Turkey and Egypt represent a political tsunami for Israel

[bemildred]

The political crisis has become a reality well before the Palestinians declare their independent state, writes Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn, leaving Israel isolated in facing Iran, Turkey and Egypt.

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The historians who will write about the collapse of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty will start their stories during the twilight years of the Mubarak regime, when the government gradually lost control over the Sinai Peninsula, turning the desert into an abandoned frontier of weapons smuggling, human trafficking, and African refugees.

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These are but minor comforts. The political tsunami that Ehud Barak foresaw has come true prior to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state in the UN. Israel is left isolated facing Iran, Turkey and Egypt, which in the past were considered close allies. Netanyahu is convinced that the Arab Spring uprisings are a decree of fate, leaving Israel with little to do but to stand firmly in its place.

Israel cannot prevent the rise of Erdogan or the fall of Mubarak, the same way that it cannot halt Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The fall of the American superpower is not Netanyahu’s fault. But he has not done a thing to mitigate the fallout from the aforementioned developments. Israel’s political and strategic positions are far worse under his leadership.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/analysis-crises-with-turkey-and-egypt-represent-a-political-tsunami-for-israel-1.383596

[riverwalker]

1. shifting sands

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/liveblog/libya-sep-10-2011-1613

Saturday, September 10, 2011 - 13:13 GMT+3 - Libya

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will on Monday begin an "Arab Spring" tour to Egypt, Tunisia and Libya in a bid to forge stronger ties as relations with Israel are sinking to new lows over a flotilla row.

In Libya, he will confer with Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of the now-ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) based in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Turkey, the only mainly Muslim member of NATO, gradually took a hard line against the old Libyan regime, after at first criticising Western air strikes against the forces of Muammar Gaddaf.

[bemildred]

2. He is making his move, no doubt about it. nt