Publications

The Middle East has recently operated under the not implausible fear that a regional war is about to break out. Therefore, Israel is closely following any sign of growing closeness among the members of the radical axis, a relationship that peaked with the Damascus summit in February 2010 and the transfer of – or at least what seemed like the intention to transfer – “balance destabilizing” weapons to Hizbollah. It is therefore important to understand the extent to which the axis – Iran, Syria, Hizbollah, and Palestinian terrorist organizations – actually functions as a military alliance, as its leaders have declared. What is the extent of its cohesiveness, and under what circumstances would the members of the axis operate as a united alignment against Israel? This essay addresses these questions while investigating the nature of the axis, its strengths and weaknesses, and the practical ramifications for dealing with it.