Changes and Trends in the Current Relations Between Saudi Arabia and Israel

Abstract

The relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel have become increasingly public after the Trump administration took office in the US. Particularly, Saudi Arabia either holds inconsistent, ambiguous attitudes or gives short shrift to sensitive issues such as Jerusalem issue and the ‘Deal of the Century.’ Moreover, Saudi Arabia and Israel have been interacting with each other frequently in a public and official way, which further embodies this change in their relationship. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel has a long history, and it has experienced four development stages: mutual isolation, secret contact, open contact, and intimate contact. The changes in the current Saudi-Israeli relations have realistic interests, open interaction, and practical cooperation. The changes in the Saudi-Israeli relations have taken place under the combined effect of the realistic logic of the common political and security dilemma, the transformation of their respective diplomatic strategies and the complementary economic advantages of both sides, as well as the overall environmental changes in the Middle East, the overall fragmentation of the Arab world, and the ups and downs of the US Middle East policy. Saudi Arabia and Israel have formed an anti-Iranian quasi-alliance, which has certain actual or potential impacts. In the long run, although the changes in the Saudi-Israeli relations are conducive to bilateral cooperation and development in diverse fields, they bring no advantage to the overall stability of the Arab world, and the contradictions within the Arab world will further deepen, which, for example, is represented by a breakthrough in diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. Besides, geostrategic competition in the Middle East will become more intense and will not contribute to the Middle East peace process.