The Sunni Arab countries in the Middle East do not want to be stuck with a resurgent Iran after the current war, without protection from the US and Israel, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
According to the IDF, massive direct Iranian missile and drone attacks have shifted the Sunni view of the region.
These countries now have a greater fear of being attacked by Iran at some point. Meanwhile, America has lost interest in protecting them, which would leave only Jerusalem to assist them against a new onslaught from Tehran.
Iran has attacked not only Abraham Accords countries like the UAE and Bahrain but also countries beyond the accords, like Saudi Arabia.
Regarding those countries Israel cooperates with outside the Abraham Accords, this occurs either under the umbrella of the US Civilian-Military Coordination Center (CENTCOM) or sometimes by clandestine activity of the Mossad.
In the past, Israel confirmed that former Mossad chiefs Tamir Pardo (2011-2016) and Yossi Cohen (2016-2021) met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Cohen also reveals details of his close relations with MBS in his recent book, The Sword of Freedom.
In September 2023, MBS said that Israel and the Saudis were on the verge of normalization.
Israel - Saudi normalization?
Despite all of the progress, the outcome of the Israel-Hamas War – including the destruction of much of Gaza and the killing of an estimated 70,000 Gazans (of which at least 25,000-30,000 were Hamas or killed by Hamas) – has put the Saudis off normalization with Israel for the present.
The Saudis have publicly said they wish to negotiate such issues with a new Israeli leader after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be out of power.
The latest round with Iran may cause the Saudis to rethink these issues again, but disagreements over the past and future of Gaza – the Saudis want the Palestinian Authority to take it over from Hamas – may also continue to block future progress.