http://www.worldtribune.com/wta/Archive-2001/me_israel_06_13.html
Think tank: Rising oil prices pose threat to Israel's strategic edge
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, June 7, 2001
TEL AVIV — The continued rise in the price of oil could undermine Israel's
strategic edge over its enemies in the Middle East, leading strategists said.
The Israeli strategists said the increase over the last year of oil has
filled the coffers of key Arab states as well as Iran. They said that should
oil prices remain at their current level for the next two or three years,
then Israel could face an array of advanced Russian and Western weaponry from
such countries as Iran, Egypt and Syria.
"This is worrisome," said Shai Feldman, director of Tel Aviv University's
Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies. "It could affect the military balance,
particularly in Iran."
Iran is said to be in the advanced stages of negotiations for Russian
systems, including the S-300V, regarded as one of the best anti-aircraft
systems in the world with the capability of missile defense. Egypt and Syria
are also interested in such a system, with a range of up to 300 kilometers,
and have discussed such a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Feldman
and his colleagues were speaking on Monday during the release of the center's
latest publication, "The Middle East Military Balance 2000-2001. The
strategists said Israel currently enjoys clear military superiority against
any Arab state or Iran and could defeat virtually any Arab coalition.
This superiority, Feldman said, has prevented a regional war despite the
eight-month-old conflict with the Palestinians.
"The Palestinian violence is a top level strategic challenge to Israel but it
does not reduce Israel's overall strength," Feldman said. "The strategic
balance remains tipped in Israel's favor and the capability for deterrence
acts as a buffer against decline in the region."
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