Shifting Tectonic Plates: Basic Assumptions on the Peace Process Revisited.

The article focuses on Israel's policy to achieve normal relations with Arab countries which is based on the U.S. status as a Middle East hegemon and Israel's increasing military power. The U.S. dominance in the Middle East was shown during a coalition war against Iraq and its response to the Lebanese prime minister assassination that resulted in the Syrian military withdrawal from Lebanon. Israel's policy formulation is being affected however by the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that draws the U.S. troop withdrawal and the rising Iran influence.