Posts
For Israel: The Worst of Times...and the Best of Times
05/29/14
Jonathan Adelman
Security, Israel
Israel faces an array of threats unknown since 1973.
The
Iranian nuclear program existentially threatens Israel because of its
small size (8,000 square miles), concentration in three cities, nearness
to Iran (700 miles from its missile bases), and limitations to
anti-missile defense. Israel faces significant threats on its Lebanese
border (Hezbollah) and Gazan border (Hamas) plus possible threats from
its Syrian border (jihadists) and eastern border (possible
Hamas-dominated West Bank).
But
it is also the best of times. Israel has developed strong relationships
with three of the four BRIC countries (India, Russia and China). The
Indian electoral victory of Narendra Modi, who has visited Israel and
worked with Israeli companies in Gujarat, will likely lead to a $15
billion a year free trade zone. Israel is a leading military supplier to
India and works with that country on rockets and counter-intelligence.
Last year an Israeli company and Swiss company agreed to build two
semiconductor fabrication plants in India worth over $10 billion.
Russia
is another partner. Israel is negotiating a free-trade agreement with
Russia, which would triple trade to $6 billion by 2024. Israel
commercializes products at the Skolkovo high-tech zone and sells UAVs to
Russia. It refused to condemn Russia over Ukraine at the United
Nations.
While
Vladimir Putin has visited Israel twice, Bibi Netanyahu has visited
Moscow five times. Putin allowed a Jewish museum in Moscow, condemned
anti-Semitism in Ukraine and cancelled the S-300 sale for the Iranian
nuclear program. Every week thousands of Israelis travel to Russia to do
business.
As
for China, Bibi Netanyahu and Shimon Peres recently visited Beijing
while PLA Chief of Staff Chen Bingle (2011) and Foreign Minister Wang Yi
(2013) visited Israel. Bilateral trade will shortly reach $10 billion.
In Shantou, Technion will open its first foreign high-tech school.
While Israel has problems with these powers over Iran, it has built good relations with all of them.
Israel’s
relationship with the United States remains strong in military and
intelligence. Technion was chosen by Cornell to help run its new
Manhattan high-tech zone. Israel, despite issues, has joined the €77
billion 2020 EU Horizon Project of Research and Development.
In the inner circle, Egypt and Jordan remain unthreatening and Syria, badly weakened by civil war, poses little threat.
Read full articlehttp://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/israel-the-worst-timesand-the-best-times-10560
No comments:
Post a Comment