Page 204 - The Winter of Islam and the Spring to Come

ISRAEL'S CUNNING

CALCULATIONS IN

CENTRAL ASIA

Muslim Uzbekistan, March 21, 2002

Human Rights News, October 20, 2001

National Jewish Post, January 7, 2000

Inter Press Service, September 13, 1998

The significance of the way that Islamic republics in Central Asia gained their independence one after
another following the dissolution of the USSR was understood by Israel before most other nations. The
Jewish state realized that this development carried with it an important strategic significance, and be-
lieved that the emergence of a powerful Islamic union would not be in its interests. For that reason,
Israel's presence in the region has been growing rapidly since the beginning of the 1990s. Israeli lead-
ers carried out visits to the republics in question, especially Uzbekistan, and some of those countries'
leaders went to show off in Israel. Israel drew close to those republics, and presented itself as a friend
by such means as "agricultural cooperation," "military training" and "technological assistance."
Uzbekistan's Karimov administration has always been close to Russia and Israel. In league with those
two powers, it began a violent anti-Islamic campaign which in recent years has picked up speed. The
above news reports demonstrate the truth of that deep relationship.