The Gulf states traditionally have sympathies for Palestine, but Hamas rejects them: a dilemma. Meanwhile, a state may unexpectedly become a mediator.
Berlin – Israel and the Gulf states did not have a good relationship for a long time. The Muslim-dominated Arab world had boycotted the state for decades. But the former enemy image seems to be more and more shelved; in recent years there have been clear signs of rapprochement. The sympathies of many in the region traditionally also lie with the Palestinians. In times of war in Israel, this is a tricky situation.
Israel and Palestine: “The Gulf states must balance these two extremes”
The Gulf states – Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – find themselves in a dilemma between contemporary realpolitik with Israel and cultural connections with Palestine. “Some Gulf states reject Israel in many areas, especially because of its policies towards the Palestinians,” says Sebastian Sons, historian and expert on Arab Gulf states, in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIA. “But you have already noticed that Israel is a reality and you cannot do without Israel.” Nevertheless, there is a strong emotional closeness to Palestine.
“The political leadership in the Gulf must balance these two extremes,” says Sons. A difficult undertaking. In the initial reactions to the Hamas attack, some Gulf states tended to be pro-Israel; the UAE, for example, spoke of “barbaric and disgusting” Hamas massacres. After Israel’s backlash, there were some rhetorical about-faces. Bahrain declared its “firm support for the Palestinian cause”, Saudi Arabia and the UAE condemned Israeli counterattacks and several Arab foreign ministers called for a ceasefire in Gaza to stop the “expulsion of Palestinians”. “But they are not friends of Hamas,” says Sons.
In addition, the Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, are afraid that the conflict will expand and that the Islamist Hezbollah militia from Lebanon or the Houthi rebels in Yemen will become even more involved, says Sons. “These are real horror scenarios for the Gulf monarchs.”
The war is endangering the future plans of the ambitious Gulf states. “For the Gulf states, it is important that this conflict is managed again in some way, the way it was supposedly managed in recent years.” The goal is de-escalation.
Armin Laschet: Hamas wants to “disrupt Israel’s rapprochements with its Arab neighbors”
Before the Israel war A lot of things looked like normalization with Israel. In 2020 the USA mediated Donald Trump the so-called Abraham Accords, with which Bahrain and the UAE established relations with Israel. Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman said at the end of September that Saudi Arabia and Israel were “getting closer every day” to normalization. Less than two weeks later, Hamas’ atrocities followed. The conversations are at a standstill.
The CDU politician Armin Laschet indirectly sees this rapprochement as a reason for the renewed escalation in the Middle East conflict. “The aim of Hamas’s attack is to disrupt Israel’s progressive rapprochement with its Arab neighbors,” said Laschet in an interview with our editorial team. “All this goes against the interests of Iran, the supporter of Hamas. The attacks are a sign from Hamas and Iran that they will torpedo any attempt at peace.”
Hamas doesn’t even dispute this. Their terrorist attack prevented rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, said Osama Hamdan, a member of the Hamas Politburo, to the German Press Agency. Saudi Arabia then announced that rapprochement with Israel was “not off the table.” The goal is still a “normal Middle East”. However, nothing is normal in the crisis region at the moment.
“Qatar can continue to act as a mediator”
Qatar plays a special role in the Gulf. The host of the Football World Cup 2022 maintains close communication channels with Hamas. This is not without controversy, but it does give Qatar a mediating role. The emirate recently played a key role in negotiations for the release of Hamas hostages. “Qatar can continue to act as a mediator,” says Sons. Saudi Arabia or the UAE would in turn have the opportunity to talk to Israel. A solution to the Middle East conflict? “I don’t see any joint action yet, but the potential is there.” (as)
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