Biden trip promotes budding Arab-Israeli security ties

WASHINGTON (AP) — Once-unthinkable coordination between Israeli and Arab militaries is in the spotlight as Joe Biden makes his first Middle East trip as president, heightening debates over whether the US-backed initiative between the former enemies strengthens defenses against Iran or makes a regional war more likely.

Israeli-Arab security overtures have multiplied since the 2020 Abraham Accords negotiated under the Trump administration normalized relations between Israel and four Arab League nations. They have grown further since the Pentagon switched coordination with Israel from US European Command to Central Command, or CENTCOM, last year. The move grouped Israel’s military with former Arab opponents, including Saudi Arabia and other nations that have yet to recognize Israel.


Already this year, robed Gulf Arab princes and other dignitaries watched from the deck of a warship as the US launched training that had Israeli frogmen, sailors and defense technology splashing through the Red Sea in one of the increasing Israeli exercises alongside US and Arab militaries.

An Israeli liaison officer is set to be assigned to US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, a Gulf nation that recognized Israel only in 2020. Arab and Israeli defense officials consult around the region, exploring areas for security coordination and how to align the expertise, intelligence and weapons to implement it.


Kirby said Thursday the US is stressing coordination of regional air defense systems as an early step in the alliance “so there is really effective coverage to deal with Iran,” Kirby said.




American officials until now have given few details of the budding Israeli-Arab cooperation, mindful that Arab publics may oppose embracing a longtime enemy. The Pentagon declined a request for comment on this story. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.


Especially to the extent Saudi Arabia comes on board, the security ties under CENTCOM raise prospects of a “truly unified Sunni Arab coalition to stand with Israel” against who-led Iran, Shapiro said.


Gulf Arab states allied to the US long have been wary of Iran’s support of militias and proxies. While lacking an American-made sophisticated weaponry, Iran has an unmatched arsenal of ballistic missiles, drones and other arms.

Promoting greater regional integration with Israel’s modern military could soothe Saudi and Emirati complaints the US is not doing enough to protect them from Iran. It potentially accustoms Arab nations to working with Israel, despite Israel’s failure to reach the kind of political resolution with the Palestinians that Arab nations long demanded as a condition for recognizing Israel.

The US also hopes the coordination will mean that regional actors will take more responsibility for their own security, allowing the US to ease its decades-long safeguarding of Arab oilfields and turn more attention to Russia and China.

And in the short term of US elections, the effort helps the White House emphasize the security aspect of a potentially humbling presidential trip that’s intended partly to appeal to Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries for more oil, with no guarantee of success.

Opponents accuse Israel of exaggerating the Iranian threat.



The coordination “looks like the US is handing off security to Israel in order to focus on Ukraine and China,” Nasr said. He said this could backfire by inflaming regional tensions that draw the United States back in.


The current initiative under CENTCOM is no Arab NATO, and instead promotes coordination among Israel and Arab partners to counteract threats from Iran, a US official said, speaking under condition of anonymity to discuss the security alliance.

An open working relationship with Saudi Arabia would be a big prize for Israel in its increasing regional integration. Saudi Arabia has been most reticent publicly about any cooperation with Israel. Observers and advocates on all sides of the security said they expect no big breakthrough partnerships during Biden’s trip, although it is unclear whether the parties were trying to play down expectations.




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