27 January 2009: Jerusalem Post
By Elana Kirsh
Israel should find common ground with "moderate Arab states" to garner support for its battles against terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hizbullah, according to a statement released by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) released Tuesday.
"Israel's strategic goal should be to find a way by which it can develop greater legitimacy for itself among moderate Arab states, which could then offer fuller support to Israel in whatever ongoing battles it may have with non-state actors such as Hamas and Hizbullah," the IISS statement said.
The statement also opined that upcoming Knesset elections and the settling-in period to follow would slow the process of reaching a peace agreement in the Middle East.
The statement noted that though Israeli deterrence may have been marginally restored by the IDF's operation, Hamas continued to pose a threat to Israeli security. "Moderate Arab states that see Hamas as a threat and as an Iranian proxy are placed in a difficult position," it added.
Go to Military Balance Homepage
