The Arab States’ Secret Deal: How Israel Became The Country Everyone Hides Again

Israel’s hopes of becoming an openly integrated player in Middle Eastern affairs have been severely damaged by the war in Gaza, with Arab nations quietly maintaining defence ties whilst publicly distancing themselves from the Jewish state. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates continue to purchase Israeli weaponry despite mounting political pressure, whilst Saudi Arabia has imposed new conditions on any future normalisation agreements. The shift reflects a fundamental recalibration of regional interests as countries balance strategic military partnerships against public opinion and broader stability concerns.

Turkey has meanwhile adopted a more hostile posture, with officials criticising Israeli actions whilst the broader Arab world watches developments with caution. According to a Saudi analyst quoted in the report, the region faces a fundamental obstacle to economic integration: “You cannot build a strong economy or launch major development projects in an area on the brink of war.” This assessment underscores how the military conflict has derailed the ambitious vision of regional cooperation that had begun to take shape with the normalisation agreements signed in 2020.

The changing calculus of Gulf state interests presents a complex picture for Jerusalem. Whilst military and intelligence cooperation continues behind closed doors, the public facade has shifted markedly, with Arab governments less willing to openly embrace Israel at a time when the Palestinian conflict dominates regional sentiment. The fundamental question now facing Israeli policymakers is whether the window for normalisation can be reopened once the current conflict subsides, or whether the diplomatic momentum has been permanently lost.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.