Yaalon: US Detaching from ME, We Have Common Interests with KSA

Local Editor

"Israeli" War Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Tuesday that the United States is detaching from the Middle East as it seeks to shed its role as "the policeman of the world."
Ya'alon also claimed that "the Iranian takeover of Iraq which has followed the US military withdrawal from the country is an example of the US policy of separating itself from conflict areas."

In parallel, he viewed that Washington's decision not to become more involved in the Syrian conflict has led Russia to be the main exterior player in the civil war, with its unwavering support for President Bashar al-Assad.

In an apparent critique of US President Barack Obama, Ya'alon rejected the idea that "peace with the Palestinians would help "Israel" enlist the help of Arab states against Iran's nuclear ambitions."
Obama made the same suggestion is first meeting as president with "Israeli" Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in May 2009.

Ya'alon also rejected the notion that the talks being led by US Secretary of State John Kerry could yield a sustainable deal with the Palestinians3
"Until the Palestinians recognize the legitimate right for "Israel" to be a "Jewish state" and Palestinians give up the right of return, there could be no peace agreement," the top "Israeli" official added.

Earlier this month, Ya'alon attacked Kerry as "naive and messianic."
Ya'alon said that 2013 had a been a relatively quiet year for "Israel" in regards to security, despite the turmoil in the region.

The war minister said that the deterioration of states in the Middle East is causing chronic instability in the region, but is also creating opportunities for "Israel". He said that the Sunni axis of states which includes Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain has common enemies and common interests with "Israel"."In addition to the Sunni axis, the Middle East is now broken up into the Shi'ite axis, led by Iran, which includes al-Assad and Hizbullah, as well as third axis consisting of Turkey and Qatar which are the only states which still support Hamas rule in Gaza," Ya'alon said.

Ya'alon expressed pessimism about the possibility of the interim agreement with Iran.

He said that the Iranians would take advantage of the nuclear deal to establish themselves on the nuclear threshold. He called the West's deal with Iran a "historic missed opportunity".
"Let us not be confused, Iran wants regional, international hegemony. They want to obtain a nuclear umbrella for their activities and perhaps over time will use of force as well."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team