The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
February 8, 2011

WikiLeaks Cables Reveal Extended Israeli Support of Egyptian Vice President 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------



Newly released classified U.S. diplomatic cables from Wiki Leaks reveal
that Israeli officials have long hoped that newly appointed Egyptian
vice president Omar Suleiman would eventually succeed Hosni Mubarak as
president of Egypt. In an August 2008 cable, a U.S. diplomat wrote,
"There is no question that Israel is most comfortable with the prospect
of Omar Soliman." The cable reveals that Suleiman's deputies spoke to
Israeli military officials several times a day via a "hotline." The
cable also shows that Suleiman wanted Hamas "isolated" and thought Gaza
should "go hungry but not starve." The Obama administration has already
embraced the longtime ally. Suleiman played a key role in the U.S.
extraordinary rendition program. He also underwent training in the 1980s
at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School and Center at Fort Bragg
in North Carolina.



.