The success of Egyptian intelligence against Iran's espionage and sabotage ring in Egypt not only saved the lives of hundreds of people. It also revealed Iran's modus operandi for taking over countries and territories in the region.

Iran seeks to depose independent regimes in the area that reject its religious system and refuse to become part of the "resistance camp", meaning the new Persian empire. Regimes are to be overthrown by weakening their economies through terrorist attacks and assassinating key ruling figures.

Iran may have forced the "Doha accord" on the Lebanese political system, but it is using Hizballah not only to take over Lebanon. Hizballah is deployed against Egypt (as recently revealed), Jordan and Gulf states as well. Nor is Gaza merely a launching base for rockets and missiles aimed at Israel. The Hamas "emirate" established in Gaza with Iranian money and weapons also serves as a cover for Hizballah's activities against Egypt. Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah has now virtually admitted as much: Hizballah's "logistical assistance" activities in Egypt on behalf of Hamas concealed preparations for terrorist attacks on Egypt's soil.

Beyond uncovering Iran's modus operandi, however, Egypt's reaction spotlights the true fault line in the Middle East. No longer is this the old delineation between Israel and the Arab world. Now, on one side of the line are Iran and its proxies, Hizballah, Hamas and Syria. On the other are all the countries that do not wish to live according to the extremist Shi'ite version of Islam and are not interested in confrontation with western culture or a new war with Israel. These states treasure their own sovereignty and don't want to become part of the new empire that Iran is building--from Herat in the mountains of Afghanistan to Beirut on the Mediterranean coast.

The lesson that Israel and its neighbors can learn from the Hizballah affair in Egypt is the need to act in concert against a common enemy. Not everyone in Israel understands this or appreciates where the true Middle East fault line lies. Not everyone recognizes that Iran, Hamas and Hizballah are the real and principal enemy and that all who oppose them are our allies.

The Arab Peace Initiative is the authorized expression of this new regional division. Myopia has denied this document its rightful response from Jerusalem. We don't have to accept every single line in the API, but we do need to respect it as an acceptable opening stand on the part of the Arab side.

Events in Egypt demonstrate that the most urgent place to cooperate is Gaza. Iran has turned the Gaza Strip into a forward terror base against both Israel and Egypt, at a huge cost to Palestinians. We need a joint, coordinated Palestinian-Egyptian-Israeli effort to put an end to Hamas rule in Gaza. As long as Hamas is in charge in Gaza and Iran sends it money and weapons, the fighting and suffering there will not end. Nor is there any sense in rebuilding Gaza now: sooner or later the fighting will be renewed and everything will again be destroyed.

The immediate lesson to be derived from events in Egypt is to end Hamas rule in Gaza. Egypt has to play a central role in achieving this vital objective. In so doing, Cairo will not only serve its own security and stability but will also restore a life of dignity to 1.5 million Palestinians who have become hostages of Hizballah, Hamas and Iran. Once Hamas rule in Gaza has ended, the way will be open for the rehabilitation and economic development that Gaza so desperately needs.

This will also be the first confirmation that it is possible to halt the advance of the ayatollahs' empire.

 

 

Published 23/4/2009 � bitterlemons-international.org