Israel and its Arab neighbours: How conflicts are reshaping on-again and off-again ties

In September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This encounter has raised questions about the state of Israel's ties with its Arab neighbors, especially as the third anniversary of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack looms. The Hamas attack led to widespread destruction in Gaza and impacted Israel's relations with other countries as well.

Following the 2020 meeting between Israel and the UAE under US President Donald Trump's Abraham Accords, both countries strengthened cooperation to counter security threats from Shi ite Iran and Sunni Islamist groups. However, the strained ties with other Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, have been exacerbated by the Gaza war and the Israel Defense Forces' actions against Hezbollah.

Egypt, Israel's neighbor with which the two states signed a peace treaty in 1978, remains wary of any displacement of Palestinians, viewing it as a "red line." Jordan, with peace ties since 1994, has expressed anger over Israel's treatment of Palestinians, particularly since the Gaza war. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, both Arab states that normalized relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, have also been affected by the Gaza war and Israel's military actions.

Oman, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, on the other hand, do not have diplomatic relations with Israel. These countries have experienced hostility and strain in their relations with Israel, particularly due to the Gaza war and the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.