It became increasingly clear to the Gulf states that the Western allies they had relied on for decades to come to their rescue might not be there in a pinch.
Finally, as Iranian-sponsored proxy forces grew more powerful across the region — in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen — the Gulf states increasingly saw Iran as their greatest threat. And the 2015 Iran nuclear deal persuaded them that Washington was not committed to destroying Iran’s nuclear ambitions or keeping Iran pinned down by sanctions.
Israel, by contrast, was unwavering in its campaign against Iran. And according to Yaakov Amidror, Mr. Netanyahu’s former national security adviser, the Gulf countries were hearing from Egypt and Jordan about Israel’s helpfulness and reliability on vital matters of national security.
Demographic changes in the Gulf states also reordered their priorities, forcing a focus on creating jobs for their young people more than standing up for the Palestinians. And Gulf leaders admired Israel’s economy and tech sector.
If the agreement with the U.A.E. holds, it would be the first flowering of the redemption Mr. Netanyahu has been promising Israelis for 11 years.
His hope is that other countries will follow suit. On Friday, Jared Kushner, President Trump’s senior adviser, said that normalized relations with Saudi Arabia were “an inevitability.” On Saturday, Israel’s intelligence minister, Eli Cohen, predicted that Sudan would open full relations with Israel by the end of the year.
But analysts question whether many of the 19 Arab states that do not have ties with Israel will follow the Emirates’ lead.
Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/15/world/middleeast/israel-uae-netanyahu-arabs.html
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