Strategic Shift in Middle East Bodes Well for Israel

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israeli and Jewish leaders say in spite of the dangers in the Middle East, some promising developments are unfolding, ones that bode well for the Jewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting Jewish leaders from America a dramatic shift is happening in the Middle East.

"Major Arab countries are changing their view of Israel," Netanyahu said. "That is, that they don't see Israel anymore as their enemy, but they see Israel as their ally, especially in the battle against militant Islam with its two fountainheads: the militant Islamists led by Iran and the militant Islamists led by Daesh [Arabic for Islamic State or ISIS]."

That new relationship was evident when major Jewish leaders from America met with the presidents of Turkey and Egypt.

"There is a wind of change in the region. There are new opportunities," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice president of the Conference of Major American Jewish Organizations, who led the delegation to Cairo and Ankara.

"The difficulties and challenges of the region, terrorism, ISIS threat, the role of Russia, Iran and others in the region are driving countries to reassess their relationship with Israel," Hoenlein said. "I think they've come to see that Israel has a lot to offer, whether it's the promise of water or agriculture or fighting terrorism." 

Hoenlein says Arab leaders told them the West has left a leadership void in the region as Arab countries face daunting challenges.

"Some of them see the absence of the West in the region and cite that," Hoenlein explained.  "[They] feel that there's a vacuum and they're looking to find solutions within the region to some of these challenges and also see the involvement of Russia, which different countries see in different ways but all express concern about what will happen with Iran post the deal with an influx of a hundred billion dollars. What role will they play in destabilizing the region?" 

Hoenlein says in the midst of these challenges, they see Israel as an ally.

"There are ways that we can be of help," he continued. "And I think building relationships with Egypt, with other countries, with the Gulf, Turkey, and helping move them in the right direction. Again, it won't be an instantaneous change. There are opportunities though to counter the extremist forces because all of them see that they are in danger by it as well."