On Sunday night, Iran attacked Israel for the first time. Israel’s Western allies such as the USA supported Israel’s defense with their equipment.
But the Arab states in the region also helped to repel the Iranian missiles. Jordan and Saudi Arabia in particular have attracted attention. Middle East expert Elham Manea explains attitudes and relationships.
SRF News: Is the Saudi aid a surprise?
Elham Manea: As strange as it may sound, Israel could be seen as a natural ally of Saudi Arabia. Historically, Saudi Arabia has faced threats from various countries in the MENA region, and Iran continues to pose a major threat to Saudi Arabia’s national security.
The Saudis have viewed Iran as a destabilizing force in the region since the Islamic Revolution.
The cooperation between the two powers is nothing new.
Israel, on the other hand, never posed a political threat to Saudi Arabia. On the contrary. The cooperation between the two powers is nothing new. Until now, states had secretly supported each other when they had common interests. However, Saturday was the first time that Saudi Arabia publicly supported Israel.
What does Saudi Arabia expect from a partnership with Israel?
From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, Israel can be a valuable partner. Israel can offer protection from Iran, provide innovative technologies and help to integrate economically. This could contribute to independence from oil.
Legend:
Israel also has local allies. Saudi Arabia and Jordan helped repel Iranian attacks.
EPA / MARTIN DIVISEC
What is the relationship between Jordan and Israel?
Jordan has always maintained peaceful relations with Israel. Jordan’s demographic composition, on the other hand, is complex, with around one in five people being of Palestinian descent. This leads to domestic political tensions.
The Jordanian government views Iran and its affiliated groups as contributors to regional instability.
The Jordanian government has taken a clear stance in response to the Gaza conflict. It condemns the violence associated with Hamas, but also strongly rejects Israel’s military actions. The country calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
In addition, the government views Iran and its affiliated groups as contributors to regional instability. Hamas calls have reportedly led to recent demonstrations in Jordan. Hamas called for an uprising against those neutral to the Palestinian cause.
Where else could Israel find local alliances and therefore support?
Egypt has maintained security policy coordination with Israel despite occasional tensions. This practice is rooted in their peace treaty. Similar collaborations also exist with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Each of these countries must carefully calibrate its official stance.
Although the countries loudly criticize the Israeli military action in Gaza, they do not want to break off diplomatic relations with Israel.
From their perspective, it is important to address and appease the pro-Palestinian sentiments among the population. Although these countries loudly criticize the Israeli military action in Gaza, they do not want to break off diplomatic relations with Israel.
Selma Knecht conducted the interview.