By: Jessica Lerner
Due to the downfall of the Tunisian and Egyptian governments and the protests in Iran, Israel fears for its stability. Many citizens are glad of the step towards democracy in Tunisia, but if other Arab countries follow suit and rebel against their oppressors, it may cause future problems down the line for Israel.
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said, “If the current Tunisian regime collapses, it will not affect Israel’s present national security in a significant way. But we can, however, assume that these developments would set a precedent that could be repeated in other countries, possibly affecting directly the stability of our system.”
Shalom also added that if democracy was to replace the oppressive governments of Israel’s neighboring countries, the national security of Israel might be negatively affected and possibly threatened.