For Israel, a new risk of isolation

Ben-Eliezer, who backed the Peres-Arafat meeting, said over the weekend: "This is now a different world entirely, and the relative value of Arab countries to the Americans has only increased since Sept. 11."

Israel is not being accorded a public military role in the coalition efforts, due to concern that this would drive away Arab and Muslim allies. But Israeli officials stress their country can make an important behind-the-scenes contribution, especially through intelligence cooperation.

"There is the declaratory level [to the coalition], but Israel can contribute on the operational level," says Dore Gold, an adviser to Sharon. "The gift wrapping doesn't matter. Israel's relations with the US are far deeper than those of other countries. They existed before, and they will exist after the terrorist threat is addressed."

But some are not as confident about the period ahead. Their concern was heightened after Jack Straw, the British foreign secretary, announced Friday he would be traveling to Tehran, a visit in which he will likely explore what role Iran could play in the US-led efforts.

Iran has tested ballistic missiles that can reach Tel Aviv, and is believed to be enlarging their range, while working on acquiring a nuclear capability. It is also the main backer of the fundamentalist Hizbullah party in Lebanon, whose fighters have kept up pressure on Israeli targets with attacks along the border. And it remains ideologically opposed to Israel's very existence.

"This readiness to cooperate with the Iranians is exceedingly frustrating and odd," says Yuval Steinitz, a member of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee from Sharon's Likud party. "If Iran were to change course and put an end to its attempts to develop nuclear weapons, would open itself to democracy, and cease to support terrorism that would be one thing. But that does not seem to be the case here."

Inbar, the Bar-Ilan University scholar, adds: "Unfortunately, we are now seeing a deviation from the focus on weapons of mass destruction to a focus on terrorism, which is less significant. I can understand the American rage from the terrorism they experienced. But we are all going to be in big trouble if the Iranians and Iraqis have weapons of mass destruction."

Ofer Shelah, an analyst for the Yediot Ahronot newspaper, wrote, however, that renewed ties between Iran and Western countries would not necessarily harm Israel. The reason: They could afford the West a degree of influence on Iran's policies. "This new world order, that is only 10 days old, is fraught with dangers as well as opportunities," Shelah wrote on Friday. "It is simply too early for anyone to be able to assess them with clarity."

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