The complicated history of the relationship between Saudi Arabian and Israeli has been well documented!! These two Middle Eastern countries’ relations have been described as “cold” despite not having diplomatic relations. Officially Saudi Arabia has expressed support for the Palestinian cause as well as the two-state solution. This suggests that it does not support Israel. Saudi officials have admitted that Israel and Saudi Arabia share some common interests. If a peace deal in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is reached they could collaborate in certain areas such as security counterterrorism and strategic commerce 🇮🇱 🇸🇦 2️⃣ ️ ..
The Saudi-Arabian-Israeli Relationship
Saudi Arabia and Israel have a long and complicated history 🇸🇦 🇮🇱 ️. While Saudi Arabia has actively worked to support the Palestinian cause it has also refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist 🇸🇦. Relations between the two countries have been strained but there have been signs of a thaw in recent years 2️⃣ ️.
Saudi Arabia has been a supporter of the Palestinian cause since 1948’s establishment of Israel 🇸🇦 ️ 🇮🇱. It offers provided financial political and rhetorical support for the Palestinian people’s right at self-determination . Saudi Arabia has provided arms and funding to various militant groups in Palestine plethora diplomatic support for the Palestinian Authority 🇸🇦. Saudi Arabia played a key role in the Oslo negotiations in 1990s 🇸🇦 🔑 ️. In 2002 it proposed the Arab Peace Initiative as a framework for a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian war 2️⃣ ️.
However Saudi Arabia has steadfastly refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist 🇸🇦. The Palestinian cause has been seen as an integral part of the larger struggle for Arab self-determination since the late 1940s . According to the Saudi Arabia’s position the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be fully resolved until an independent and sovereign Palestinian state is established alongside Israel and all Israeli settlements currently in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza are removed 🇮🇱 🇸🇦 🏦.
The Obvious Signs of Thaw
In recent years however the public discourse between Saudi Arabia and Israel has become less hostile 🇮🇱 🇸🇦. In 2016 the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir stated publicly that Saudi Arabia was open to cooperating with Israel provided that a just solution is found to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict 🇮🇱 🇸🇦 ️. In the same year, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, also acknowledged that there were certain areas of common interest between Israel and Saudi Arabia which could provide the basis for cooperation 🇮🇱 🇸🇦.
The public statements have been accompanied by concrete steps toward cooperation particularly in the area of intelligence sharing . In 2017, Israeli media reported that the two countries were engaged in secret talks facilitated by the United States aimed at establishing security cooperation 2️⃣. Furthermore, in 2018, it was reported that the two countries had signed a secret arms deal worth $750 million, including the purchase of an Israeli sophisticated missile defense system 2️⃣ ️.
Signs of Progress
The recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel has been mostly driven by a shared concern over the threat posed by Iran 🇮🇱 🇮🇷 🇸🇦 ️. Both Israel and Saudi Arabia have been adamant in their stance against Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East, particularly its involvement in the conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen 🇮🇱 🇸🇦 🇾🇪. In 2017 the two countries also established a working group to coordinate on regional security issues and develop counter-terrorism strategies 🔛 2️⃣ ️.
Simultaneously several reports suggest that the two countries have reached out to one another for help in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic 1️⃣ 2️⃣. In 2020, news reports indicated that Israel has been providing medical expertise to Saudi Arabia in its handling of the pandemic, and that the two countries have been exchanging intelligence about the virus 🇮🇱 🇸🇦 2️⃣.
Conclusion
The recent thaw in relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel has been characterized mainly by silent cooperation and intelligence-sharing 🇮🇱 🇸🇦. While the two countries have yet to establish full diplomatic ties, they have shown some signs of progress in the area of regional security 2️⃣. Additionally the two countries have been exchanging medical and intelligence data on the COVID-19 pandemic 🔛 2️⃣. This suggests that the two countries may be slowly but surely moving toward a more normalized relationship if not full diplomatic relations 2️⃣ ️. ! .
Finally
However, Saudi officials in recent years have acknowledged that Saudi Arabia and Israel have some common interests and could cooperate in certain areas, such as security, countering terrorism, and strategic trade, if a peace deal is reached in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since Israel’s establishment in 1948, Saudi Arabia has been an advocate of the Palestinian cause, dedicating political, financial, and rhetorical support to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. During the Oslo negotiations in the 1990s, Saudi Arabia played an important role in trying to bring the two sides together, and in 2002, it proposed the Arab Peace Initiative, a framework for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2016, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Adel al-Jubeir, stated publicly that Saudi Arabia was open to cooperating with Israel, provided that a just solution is found to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
🏦 🔑 2️⃣ 🇾🇪 🇮🇷 🇮🇱 🇸🇦 🔛 1️⃣ ️
