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| Saudi Arabia and Israel |
In May 2018, Donald Trump shocked the whole world along with his close allies by withdrawing from Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) also known as Iran nuclear deal done by the Obama Administration in 2015.
There were no concrete reasons behind this decision. A 2015 report by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that the agency had found no sign of nuclear activity in Iran after 2009 and it reiterated its report in 2018 also.
The deal's other partners Russia, China, France, United Kingdom, Germany and EU said, they still stick to the deal and didn't change their stand after the US withdrawal.
What compelled Trump to take such a decision?
It was no secret that Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal because of pressure from two of US's closest allies Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Iran is an enemy for both Saudi Arabia and Israel. Then comes the phrase "My Enemy's Enemy is my friend."
But is there really any realignment in the relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
The answer is both "Yes" as well as "No."
Let's find out why both Yes and No.
Yes, because:
There has been no direct conflicts between the Saudi Arabia and Israel after the 80s.
Saudi officials criticism to Palestinian Authority for not going ahead with a solution and sticking with the old demand for full territory.
In a interview to an US magazine, the prince crown Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS) said both Jews of Israel and Arabs of Palestine have a right to live in their homeland. It was a complete shift in Saudi Arabia's stand for a Palestinian state and not recognising the Jews right at all.
Saudi Arabia in a first of its kind allowed a flight of Air India to go to Tel Aviv over the Saudi Air.
After the US had moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, there were widespread violence in Gaza which took lives of nearly 100 of Palestinians but the whole Arab world didn't take any concrete steps against the US.
The new Prince MBS who has been projected as many as a reformist and the one who can save the Saudi economy by diversifying it, has hinted for a good relation with the Jews state.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised the MBS reform agenda to strengthen the Saudi Economy.
Even Israel's Transport minister has asked MBS to invite Benjamin Netanyahu to Riyadh.
Israel officials have admitted many times that though there is no formal diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia but informal talks are going on in the back doors for many years.
Israel didn't criticise Saudi Arabia over Jammal khosoggi death.
No, because:
Saudi Arabia has not made any efforts of establishing diplomatic relation with Israel, in fact it has no sort of relations with Israel while almost all of its allies have.
Palestinian issue still dominates in the talks of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Saudi Arabia has a lot of stakes in it.
Saudi has nearly given $6 Billion to Palestine as humanitarian aid over 17 years.
As the leading member of the Islamic world, Saudi Arabia can't afford to neglect Palestinians.
If it goes closer to Israel, Iran may turn the wave of Islamic World against Saudi Arabia.
Though MBS is being seen as a reformist but he is highly unpredictable as well like US President Donald Trump.
What are the shared interests between Israel and Saudi Arabia?
Iran is the common enemy of both states. It is no secret that Iran is much more stronger than Saudi Arabia. At a time when US is withdrawing its troops from Syria, it has put the Saudi vulnerable than ever before. Saudi is loosing from the Houthis in Yemen war. Houthi is a rebel group which is supported by Iran. In Lebanon also, Iran supported rebel group Hezbollah is in good position. Saudi couldn't not fight with Iran alone and it cannot afford to loose its regional dominance over the Arab World.
On the other hand Iran is threat for Israel also. Iran is only having the potential to defeat the Nuclear armed state of Israel. Iran supported Hezbollah rebels are also a serious challenge for Israel's security and stability.
If Iran gains dominance in that region, it can spread its Shiite ideology which is a potential threat to the Sunni ideology of Saudi Arabia.
At a time when the world is moving from fossil fuel, it poses a serious challenge in front of Saudi to diversify its economy in areas of Technology and IT, etc. Other than Israel, no one can be a better partner for Saudi for technological help.
Israel is having the most advanced military technology in that region. Saudi needs Israel to defeat Iran.
Getting closer with Saudi can open a Pandora box for Israel in terms of access to petroleum and huge Saudi investment.
Both the states are close allies of US. US will always want close relations between the two.
Both Saudi Arabia and Israel don't want democratisation in the Arab world.
Shared interests of both the nations outweigh the reasons of their enmity. But Saudi Arabia has a lot to sacrifice if they ally with the Israel.
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