US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Friday urged Israel to try and end its increasing regional “isolation” by repairing diplomatic ties with Egypt and Turkey and renewing peace efforts with the Palestinians.
“Unfortunately, over the past year, we’ve seen Israel’s isolation from its traditional security partners in the region grow, and the pursuit of a comprehensive Middle East peace has effectively been put on hold,” he said.
But Panetta added in a speech that Israel was not entirely to blame for its difficult position and the US ally was the subject of an “international campaign” designed to isolate the country. The US defense chief said he understood Israel’s anxieties over turmoil in the Middle East but said the Arab spring offered an opportunity for the country to forge a more secure place in the region.
It was crucial for Israel to reach out and “mend fences” with countries such as Turkey, Egypt and Jordan that he said share an interest in regional stability, said Panetta, who issued similar appeals in a visit to the region in October. He said he was “troubled” over the direction of Turkish-Israeli relations and called on both countries “to do more to put their relationship back on track.”
As for Egypt, he said the best response was to step up “communication and cooperation with Egyptian authorities” instead of “stepping away from them,” he said. Israel needed “to lean forward on efforts to achieve peace with the Palestinians,” Panetta said at an event organised by the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for the Middle East, a Washington think-tank.
“Just get to the damn table,” Panetta said, using his trademark colorful language to call on Israel to return to the negotiating table. While appealing to Israel to reach out to its regional neighbors, Panetta reaffirmed that President Barack Obama’s administration was determined “to safeguard Israel’s security.” He also pledged Washington would ensure Israel continues to enjoy a clear military edge by providing the Jewish state with sophisticated missile defenses and new stealthy F-35 fighter jets.
