ABSTRACT
As in the previous chapter, the focus here will be on the non-NATO Mediterranean states that are participating in the Mediterranean Initiative. Algeria will also be included in the analysis because of the significance of recent developments there for other neighboring and nearby states. Again, the case of Israel will not be discussed specifically. Economic and social problems and security issues are closely interlinked concerning Arab states in the Mediterranean area. This chapter will focus on how ruling elites in these states perceive security, and how their perceptions may differ from those held by members of their publics. In this particular context, it would seem that Israel is bracketed together with states north of the Mediterranean. Certainly, Arab governments and peoples are fully aware of Israel’s traditionally close military ties with the West and, in particular, Israel’s strategic alliance with the United States.
