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(February 25, 2019 / JNS) The Warsaw summit on the Middle East held earlier this month served as the latest reminder of the growth of unofficial relations between Israel and Sunni-Arab Gulf states.
The conference saw Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu share a platform with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Yemen and Oman. These Persian Gulf countries have no official ties with Israel as of now, but are nevertheless expanding their engagement with the Jewish state.
This partnership is fueled by the shared threat posed to the Middle East by radical Shi’ite Iran. Tehran’s nuclear program and regional expansion program threaten Israel and Arab states alike, creating an opportunity for cooperation that has grown considerably in recent years.
Israel could potentially supply its new partners with advanced missile defense technology and intelligence. The Gulf states could provide Israel with the kind of diplomatic recognition and acceptance that Jerusalem has long sought and share their own intelligence on Iran.
Ambassador (ret.) Zvi Mazel, former ambassador to Egypt and a fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, told JNS that this cooperation is a certain cause for concern to Iran. He added, however that “it does not seem to have stopped, at this stage, Iran’s activities.”
Iran is well-aware that Israel and the Gulf states are not going to sign a defense treaty, said Mazel. But the Iranians are also aware that Israel can supply Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE with advanced missile-defense systems and other means that can “undermine Iranian military superiority and harm its ability to maneuver in the Gulf,” said Mazel.
He noted some international media reports that said Israel has already sold the Iron Dome missile-defense systems to the Saudis.
[...]
As the quiet alliance unfolds, Israel’s standing among Sunni governments is improving.
“In the current phase, the Gulf states are offering Israel de facto recognition,” Professor Yoram Meital of the Middle East Studies Department at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev told JNS.
“Full [de jure] recognition could form a historic breakthrough in Israel’s relationship with the Arab world. Since its formation, Israel has hoped for recognition and its acceptance as a legitimate state in the Arab space,” stated Meital.
More at link: Gulf states offering ‘de facto’ recognition of Israel
The conference saw Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu share a platform with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Yemen and Oman. These Persian Gulf countries have no official ties with Israel as of now, but are nevertheless expanding their engagement with the Jewish state.
This partnership is fueled by the shared threat posed to the Middle East by radical Shi’ite Iran. Tehran’s nuclear program and regional expansion program threaten Israel and Arab states alike, creating an opportunity for cooperation that has grown considerably in recent years.
Israel could potentially supply its new partners with advanced missile defense technology and intelligence. The Gulf states could provide Israel with the kind of diplomatic recognition and acceptance that Jerusalem has long sought and share their own intelligence on Iran.
Ambassador (ret.) Zvi Mazel, former ambassador to Egypt and a fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, told JNS that this cooperation is a certain cause for concern to Iran. He added, however that “it does not seem to have stopped, at this stage, Iran’s activities.”
Iran is well-aware that Israel and the Gulf states are not going to sign a defense treaty, said Mazel. But the Iranians are also aware that Israel can supply Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE with advanced missile-defense systems and other means that can “undermine Iranian military superiority and harm its ability to maneuver in the Gulf,” said Mazel.
He noted some international media reports that said Israel has already sold the Iron Dome missile-defense systems to the Saudis.
[...]
As the quiet alliance unfolds, Israel’s standing among Sunni governments is improving.
“In the current phase, the Gulf states are offering Israel de facto recognition,” Professor Yoram Meital of the Middle East Studies Department at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev told JNS.
“Full [de jure] recognition could form a historic breakthrough in Israel’s relationship with the Arab world. Since its formation, Israel has hoped for recognition and its acceptance as a legitimate state in the Arab space,” stated Meital.
More at link: Gulf states offering ‘de facto’ recognition of Israel
