Israel Recognized by Gulf States

By Maha Butt

In a recent turn of events, UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel and established full diplomatic ties with the state in a deal brokered by the US. So far, Israel only had peace treaties with two of its neighboring countries; Egypt and Jordan, which took place in 1979 and 1994 respectively. Egypt and Jordan share borders with Israel and have both fought wars with Israel in the past.

Israel and the Arab leaders in the Persian Gulf had been quietly cultivating ties for years, united by their common antipathy toward Iran and worries about a vacuum in the region because of American retrenchment.

For the gulf states, Israel is a hedge against the declining role of the United States in the region, as well as a rich trading partner with a high-tech economy. For Israel, ties to the gulf ease its isolation and are a way to counter pressure from the Palestinians to negotiate a new state, since the backing of fellow Arabs is an essential element of the long-term goal.

After UAE and Bahrain signed formal agreements in the White House, President Trump said he expected at least five other countries to follow suit, without mentioning their names. Yet so far, no other state has taken the same step. According to some analysts, Sudan and Oman are potential candidates. However, Bahrain’s decision is skeptical given its dependence on its much larger neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Bahrain may have agreed to normalization to access to advanced weaponry and the Saudis could potentially follow.