이스라엘 변수와 냉전 초기 중동 다자안보체제의 쇠퇴

Israeli Influence behind the Failure of Middle Eastern Collective Security System during the Early Cold War

The subject of this paper is about the failure of US efforts to create collective security system during the early Cold War due to Israeli influence. In other words, this article attempts to reveal that the Israeli variable was the reasons behind the failure of Eisenhower's containment policy in the Middle East. In this sense, Israel opposed to the Baghdad Pact due to the possibility that it could be used as a vehicle to counter against Israel itself not to contain the Soviet Union. Thus, Israel attempted to frustrate US efforts to establish multilateral security system in the Middle East. Despite the Eisenhower administration's efforts to keep the distance from Jewish influence, American policymakers were unable to restrict Israel's hard-line policy toward Arab nations. Furthermore, the principles of 'evenhandedness' were eroded and resulted in taking sides with Israel under the Jewish influence. Pro-Israeli figures at the American Congress objected US adherence to the Baghdad Pact, thereby resulting in US preference of bilateralism. In particular, Israel clandestinely tried to establish so called the 'Periphery Pact' with non Arab countries including Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia. Ben Gurion supported the idea of peripheral alliance in terms of security cooperation of non-Arab countries in the Middle East. The American government considered the Periphery Pact as favorable regional development. All things considered, reasons behind American failure to create Middle Eastern collective security system during the early Cold War had to do with Israeli influence. The implication of this research is to understand the limited impacts of the Early Cold war in the Middle East. In this senses, Israel opposed to the policy which its enemy, Egypt, was against as well. Thus, it can be said that regional actors including Egypt and Israel gave priority to their own interests rather than global interests of the Cold War.