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An Islamic Front in North Africa?

(Jerusalem Post) Zvi Mazel - The next heads of government in Tunisia and Morocco as well as in Egypt are likely to belong to the Muslim Brotherhood. In Libya and Algeria Islamist forces are also gaining prominence. This will create a new reality throughout North Africa, a region of enormous strategic importance facing Europe's southern coast and more specifically France, which enjoys a special relationship with its former colonies - Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Libyan oil and Algerian natural gas are a main source of energy for Europe, and particularly for France and Italy. Trade between Europe and North Africa is considerable. It is expected that the new Islamic regimes will want to renegotiate most of the issues at stake with Europe from a position of strength. Europe will find itself opposite a coalition of regimes grounded in a common religious extremism and determined to promote a new type of relationship with the former colonial powers. The writer, a fellow of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, is a former ambassador to Romania, Egypt and Sweden.
2011-12-06 00:00:00
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