Peter Lyukimson, Israel, exclusively to VK
As a senior source in the Foreign Ministry of Israel told the correspondent of VK, the Foreign Ministry believes that in the near future there will be significant changes in the geopolitical balance of power in the Middle East. The most important one among these changes may be the rejection of the union with the United States by Egypt and its turn in the direction of Russia. It is possible that other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, will follow the example of Egypt.
This estimate is based on the results of the meetings between Israeli and Egyptian diplomats held in late October. According to Israeli sources, the Egyptians during these meetings did not hide their disappointment with the policies of President Barack Obama and said they wanted to return to the situation in 1956, when the Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser signed several treaties with the Soviet Union. The Egyptians also argue that, despite the pro-American policies of recent decades, they have always supported relations with the USSR and later with the Russian leadership.
Israeli diplomats say that they understand the Egyptian leadership in light of recent American intentions to cut military and other assistance to the country at a time when the current Egyptian government began to restore order in the country and to deal effectively with terrorism in the Sinai Peninsula. Such actions of the Americans caused confusion and even outrage in Israel which tried to use the Jewish lobby in the U.S. to protect the interests of Egypt.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also said that the same disappointment about Obama's policy both on Iran and on Syria and the Palestinian issue is felt by Saudi Arabia and its neighbors, who are also increasingly turning their attention towards Moscow.
Finally, in recent weeks, tensions began to rise sharply in the relationship between the U.S. and Turkey. This is not because of the latest scandal with the extradition of Israeli spies by Turkey to Iran but in view of the fact that Turkey, as a NATO member, has chosen to enter into multi-million dollar contract for the supply of new weapons not with the U.S. but with the Chinese company – with the very same company that in its activity violates sanctions against Iran.
It should be noted that disappointment about the U.S. policy is growing in Israel, but the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s analysts still have not come to a consensus about the consequences of the upcoming changes for Israel and the position that in this regard should be taken by Israel. Greater clarity on the issue, apparently, will appear after November 6, when, as expected, the former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will be acquitted and will return to his office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Lieberman is known to be a supporter of the "multi-vector policy", including greater involvement of Russia in what is happening in the Middle East. It is possible that this visit to Moscow will be his first official visit if he again heads the Foreign Ministry. So far the state of the Foreign Ministry of Israel is vague, but any fog will eventually dissipate.
