Two reports in the Sunday, Jan. 5, papers caught my eye. They were seemingly unrelated, but their combination is essential for understanding the central issue which has been troubling Secretary of State John Kerry on his 10th visit to the region. The solution for which he is aiming is also revealed in combining the two reports.
The first item, published in various media including the Israeli daily Maariv, quoted Meir Dagan, the former head of the Mossad. Speaking in the city of Kfar Saba, Dagan challenged the claim that the Jordan Valley is essential for Israel’s security, terming it a “manipulation” by politicians who abuse outlandish security arguments. According to Dagan, the Jordan Valley has lost its strategic importance, since “there’s no Iraqi army, there’s no eastern front. There’s peace with Jordan.”