While Iran has launched a “charm offensive” in an attempt to restore contacts with the West, Israel and Saudi Arabia, who don’t have diplomatic relations, are rumored to be creating an alliance, which may well become the region’s new “super power.”
“The potential impact of such an unlikely union can’t be
overestimated,” RT’s Paula Slier reported from East
Jerusalem. “Israel brings to the party excellent propaganda
skills; Saudi Arabia – on the other hand – is able to tap into
vast reservoirs of petrol dollars.”
The Jewish state also has unparalleled influence over US foreign
policy, which made sure its move towards Saudi Arabia wouldn’t go
unnoticed by the international community.
“No doubt about it, rumors, reports about cooperation, secret
meetings [between Israel and Saudi Arabia] started to
appear before second Lebanon War in 2006 when it became clear
that Iran is to become a major player here, in our immediate
region, but also in the Gulf,” Eyal Zisser, Dean of
Humanities at Tel-Aviv university, told RT.
But the cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia may be
hampered by the Arab state’s support for the Palestinians both in
Gaza and the West Bank.
Just recently the Saudis granted another $10 million to UNRWA,
the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees
in the Near East, which was preceded by a $200 million donation
to Palestinian infrastructure projects.
The “ambiguity” of the Saudi policies is a likely obstacle
to forming a firm alliance between the two states, Zisser
believes.
“The result is that on the one hand you can see them cooperate
with Israel when it comes to Iran, on the other hand they have
close contacts with [Palestinian] Hamas. On the one hand they
initiate the Arab Peace Initiative, on the other hand they
support indirectly al-Qaeda,” he explained.
There’s no unity in Israel on whether closer ties with Saudi
Arabia are needed with many wondering if the Jewish state is
“shooting itself in a foot by forming an alliance with a
country that supports its enemies,” Slier reported.
But, despite their differences, Israel and Saudi Arabia share
views on some of the most pressing regional issues as they both
want regime change in Syria, with Saudi Arabia strongly backing
the rebels; both see Iran as their main geopolitical rival and
want to neutralize the Islamic state; and both stand united in
their backing of the military government in Egypt, which has
taken a strong stance against the Islamists.
Saudi Arabia has already signalled it is ready to go its own way
if US policies continue to undermine the country’s interests in
the region. Since US politicians began cutting off aid to Egypt
after Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was deposed, Saudi Arabia
has given Egypt three times the US annual contribution – some $5
billion, to make up for losses elsewhere.
“Usually the Saudis will not make any decision against US
advice or interests,” said Mustafa Alani, an Iraqi analyst at
the Gulf Research Centre in Jeddah, with close ties to the Saudi
security establishment. “I think we're past this stage. If it
isn't in our interests, we feel no necessity to bow to their
wishes.”
And last week, one associate of Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin
Netanyahu, leaked to the press that Israel is coordinating
policies with Saudi and Gulf representatives to prevent the US
from easing-up on Iran’s nuclear program.
The leaders of the US and Iran talked on the phone late September
for the first time in 30 years, Iran’s new president, Hassan
Rouhani, expressed willingness to restore relations with the West
and resume negotiations over the country’s controversial nuclear
program.
Although the Obama administration can hardly be expected to
strike any meaningful deal with Iran in the nearest future, both
Israelis and Saudis are concerned any bargaining might be against
their interests.
“If America and Iran reach an understanding it may be at the cost
of the Arab world and the Gulf States, particularly Saudi
Arabia,” said Abdullah al-Askar, chairman of the foreign
affairs committee in Saudi Arabia's advisory parliament, the
Shoura Council.
In dealing with Iranian issue, Israel's citizens are “prepared
for any possible scenario,” hawkish Prime Minister Netanyahu
said recently. "And Israel's citizens should also know that our
enemies have very good reasons not to test our power and not to
test our might," he added, indicating readiness for unilateral
actions.
Although both Israel and Saudi Arabia are historically known as
great American allies and neither of them is picking an open
fight with big brother, their union may make it more difficult
for Washington to exert its influence on the region,
investigative journalist Robert Parry told RT.
“It raises the question of whether this very significant,
although unlikely or really unusual odd couple relationship
between Saudi Arabia and Israel might create a new super power in
the Middle East,” he wondered.
Parry shares the view that the combination of Israeli political
technologies and the Jewish lobby in Washington with the Saudi
money could bring “significant” results.
“The US might find it problematic as both Saudi Arabia and
Israel are American allies, if the two of them were to
collaborate more formally on some of these issues like Syria,
Iran or Egypt that could put the US in a position of not being
able to work its will with quite the freedom that it has in the
past,” he said.