Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States is pressing Israel to take the
initiative to improve ties with American allies in the Middle East.

Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama has been
urging Israel to improve relations with Arab and other states in the Middle
East. They said the effort was necessary to ensure sufficient cooperation
and coordination against regional threats, particularly Iran and Syria.

“For example, Israel can reach out and mend fences with those who share
an interest in regional stability — countries like Turkey and Egypt, as
well as Jordan,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said. “This is not
impossible.”

In an address to the Brookings Institution on Dec. 2, Panetta, who visited the Jewish state recently, suggested that Israel could
improve ties with its neighbors by renewing peace negotiations
with the Palestinian Authority. The PA has insisted that Israel must end Jewish construction in the West Bank and agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state throughout the entire area as well as major parts of Jerusalem.

“The problem right now is we can’t get them to the damn table to at least sit down and begin to discuss their differences,” Panetta said. “If they sit at a table and work through those concerns, and the United States can be of assistance in that process, then I think you have the beginning of what could be a process that would lead to a peace agreement.”

Officials said the administration has sought to increase coordination between Israel and Turkey amid the revolt in neighboring Syria. They said the coordination has been hampered by poor relations between Ankara and
Jerusalem, including Turkish demands for an apology and compensation for an
Israel Navy interception of a Turkish-flagged ship in May 2010 in which
eight Turks were killed.

“It is in Israel’s interest, Turkey’s interest, and U.S. interest, for
Israel to reconcile with Turkey.” Panetta said. “And both Turkey and Israel
need to do more to put their relationship back on the right track. That’s a
message I’ve taken to Jerusalem, and it’s a message I’ll be taking to Ankara
later this month.”

Panetta also urged Israel to initiate unspecified measures to improve
relations with Egypt, which saw the Muslim Brotherhood sweep parliamentary
elections in late November. The defense secretary said he was reassured by
the new military regime in Cairo that Egypt would honor its peace treaty with Israel.

“While we share Israel’s legitimate concerns about instability in the
Sinai Peninsula and the attack on the Israeli embassy in Cairo, the best way
to address these concerns is through increasing communication and
cooperation with Egyptian authorities, not by stepping away from it,”
Panetta said.

Panetta, who expressed opposition to a military strike on Iran, said
Teheran remained the leading threat to the Middle East. He said an Iranian nuclear
weapons arsenal would lead others, particularly Saudi Arabia, to procure
atomic bombs.

“What’s to stop Saudi Arabia from getting a nuclear weapon?” Panetta
asked. “What’s to stop other countries from getting nuclear weapons in that
part of the world? Suddenly we have an escalation of these horrible weapons
that, you know, I think create even greater devastation in the Middle East.”

  Barack Obama, improve ties with Egypt, Jerusalem, Leon Panetta, Muslim Brotherhood, Palestinian Authority, Panetta presses Israel to ‘reach out’, Turkey, West Bank