Israel, UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Egypt form a coalition against Iran

Sde Boker: – The Negev Summit bringing Israel and the Arab allies together on the same dais proved historical. Israel and the Arab countries participating in the summit announced a new security front against Iran. The summit also underlined that there is a need to unite on the economic front as the US influence in the region is on the decline. The leaders participating in this summit between Israel and Arab countries, which was considered impossible till some time ago, agreed that the summit would henceforth be held every year. The Biden administration, rendered restless with the summit between Israel and the Arab countries, rushed its Secretary of State to Israel just one day before the summit.

Moreover, amid reports that the Iran nuclear deal has reached close to finalisation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached Israel. It is claimed that Blinken struggled to gain the confidence of Israel and the Arab countries who have lost faith in the Biden administration. Secretary of State Blinken also assured Israel and then the Negev summit that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. But Israel and the Arab countries demonstrated at the Negev summit that they do not believe in the assurances of the Biden administration.

Foreign Ministers of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt and Morocco were present at this summit organised by Israel. At the summit, which was held on Sunday and Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid underlined that there is an equal Iranian threat to the security of all the countries attending the summit. After that, there was this historic agreement on participating in the joint security front of Israel with the Arab countries against Iran.

The UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al- Nahyan clarified that the Negev summit was a historic development for strengthening relations between Israel and the Arab countries. UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah announced, ‘Although Israel has been a part of this sector for the last so many years, it is the first time such a discussion is happening between Israel and the Arab countries. It was Egypt that started cooperating with Israel 43 years ago. We wasted 43 years of this cooperation. But now we, the rest of the Arab countries, are following the footsteps of Egypt.’

The UAE Foreign Minister said that the Negev summit was a solid reply to the terror attack in Hadera. A few hours before the summit, terrorists attack an Israeli security post at Hadera in Israel. Two policemen were killed in the attack and five were injured. The terrorist organisation IS accepted the responsibility for the attack.

US Secretary of State Blinken reacted to the cooperation between Israel and Arab countries, saying that things thought impossible are happening now. Following this, Israeli Foreign Minister Lapid announced that the Negev summit between Israel and the Arab countries, considered to be impossible, would subsequently be an annual affair.

Meanwhile, last week, Egyptian President Sisi, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and UAE Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed had a significant meeting at Sharm Al-Sheikh in Egypt. The Israeli media reported that the security policies against Iran were discussed during the meeting. Israel, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, and Morocco concurrence on the front against Iran during the Negev summit within the next six days becomes noteworthy. The success of the Negev summit when the United States is in the process of finalising the Iran nuclear deal has made the United States restless.