JERUSALEM – Israeli officials Friday were full of misgivings and uncertainty over Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, fearing the Jewish state will lose its staunchest ally in the region and that the popularity of Islamist groups is on the rise.

Government officials would not comment publicly on the impact of Mubarak’s resignation for Israel. But officials said they’re “very hopeful” that a “Mubarak mimic,” such as Vice President Omar Suleiman, would succeed him.

Others in Israel predicted an uncertain horizon.

“Egypt has completely lost its status in the area, while Turkey and Iran are on the way up. It’s a different world,” said Zvi Mazel, a former Israeli envoy to Egypt. “As long as we had Mubarak, there was no void in our relations with the region. Now we’re in big trouble.”

Israel’s once-strong ties with Turkey and Jordan have turned rocky. Protests in Jordan against King Abdullah’s moderate government have targeted his ties with Israel.

Turkey and Israel have clashed over Israel’s 2008-2009 invasion of Gaza and its raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed nine Turkish nationals last May. Turkey released its findings on the incident Friday, largely blaming Israel for the deaths of the Turkish civilians.

Israel had been one of Mubarak’s few outspoken supporters. Israeli officials disparaged the protesters as “radicals.”

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Thursday that Egypt should be given time for a slow “change,” not a rapid shift of power to “extremists.”

 


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.