THE GEOPOLITICS OF ARAB-ISRAELI DIPLOMACY IN THE 1990S - SECURITY, TERRITORY AND PEACE

Both the United States and Israel will have to approach the question o f Middle East peacemaking and regional stability in the years ahead in the context of reduced American military capabilities. The inevitable impact of a declining U.S. presence overseas is to make regional stab ility far more dependent on the quality of regional military balances. This article assesses Israeli security requirements and negotiating p ositions in light of this changing strategic environment. Due to a num ber of Arab-Israeli force asymmetries, the Israeli need for secure bor ders will be much more difficult to accomplish in negotiations on the West Bank and Golan Heights than it was for the Sinai. What becomes ce ntral in diplomacy is flexibility and the ability of both Israel and t he United States to adjust their policies in accordance with the reali ties they face in the region.