A Nation That Shall Dwell Alone — With a little help from its friends

In February 2012, The Begin-Sadat (BESA) Center for Strategic Studies, which describes itself as “a non-partisan and independent institute, [that] seeks to contribute to the advancement of Middle East peace and security by conducting policy-relevant research on strategic subjects, particularly as they relate to the national security and foreign policy of Israel,” published a policy study on “The 2011 Arab Uprisings and Israel’s National Security.” In a section entitled “Forging Strategic Alliances,” BESA Director Prof. Efraim Inbar offers an interesting insight into the Center’s views on Washington’s role in advancing an Israel-centric regional “peace and security”:

Despite the decline of American influence in the Middle East, Israel has no choice but to continue to nurture its strategic partnership with the US. The US is likely to remain the dominant global power for a long time, and its decline in the Middle East is probably temporary. The shared values of the two countries and the large and stable support for the Jewish state in American society makes this country the best possible ally. Israel’s foreign policy should adapt to the differences of opinion and even conflict of interests between a large power and its small ally in such a way as to assure continued American friendship and support. In the final analysis, the developments in Washington are much more important for Jerusalem than those in the region.
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