|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/342-between-paris-and-cairo/
Between Paris and Cairo: Balancing Security and Diplomacy
(Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University) Col. (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman - Policymakers in Israel have ample reason to be apprehensive about French peace initiatives. At moments of crisis, such as the Gaza fighting in 2014, it was France that took the lead in driving through to EU endorsement a position on permanent status that reflected Arab demands on borders, Jerusalem, and the interpretation of UN resolutions. This drive to impose "parameters" is inimical to Israeli interests. The measured Israeli reaction to the latest flurry of problematic diplomatic activity reflects Jerusalem's more central security imperatives, as well as its newly-discovered sense of being a significant regional player rather than a besieged small state in a hostile sea. The writer, a former deputy for foreign policy and international affairs at Israel's National Security Council, served for two decades in Israeli military intelligence.