Political Role of Israel in the Middle East: History, Evolution and Contemporary Period

Abstract

The Palestine-Israel dispute remains one of the most intractable issues in the Middle East, which has evaded a permanent resolution even after seven decades. The dispute has led to many wars between Israel on the one hand, and the Arab states, on the other. The Palestinian question has a significant bearing on current regional, political developments, and shapes Israel’s larger policy in the region. A discussion on Israel’s current role in the Middle East not only demands an understanding of the evolving political dynamics, like Iran’s greater influence in the region, but also requires knowledge about the roots of the PalestineIsrael conflict. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Israel’s historical and contemporary relations with its neighbours, especially Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.