Israel

With the removal of Hosni Mubarak as Egypt’s president, Israel has lost its reliable ally in the Middle East, prompting debate within its leadership on how the country should pursue its regional strategy. Defense Minister Ehud Barak and President Shimon Peres have issued calls for decisive steps to end the country’s occupation of the West Bank and begin talks for a peace treaty with Syria. However, several officials in the conservative-led government are proposing a more vigilant approach, reasoning that the risks of making any deals are too high given the region’s instability, The Wall Street Journal says.