ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the traditional Israeli concerns Soviet-American cooperation in the Middle East have any relevance for the arena of regional arms control. Soviet-American cooperation in the Middle East has often struck Israeli governments as more of a potential threat than a diplomatic opportunity. From an Israeli perspective, missiles have introduced new vulnerabilities to Israel’s rear areas by giving rejectionist Arab forces assured penetrability of Israel airspace. The consensus of most Israeli military analysts has been that the principle threat to Israel is based on the asymmetry in the number of active duty conventional ground formations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. A particular Israeli concern, in the regard, has been the repeated attempts of Arab diplomacy to stress Israeli refusals to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Israeli view of the Non-Proliferation Treaty versus the nuclear free zone concept is of direct relevance to any superpower-managed arms control process in the future.
