“Gulf States-Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE-could seek increased concessions from Palestinians as a condition for normalizing ties with Israel, according to Christina Paschyn’s analysis.”Amidst the fourth month of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Arabian Gulf is emerging as a pivotal force in preventing its regional escalation. The Gulf states are increasingly seen as potential influencers capable of reviving a seemingly dormant peace deal – the two-state solution – previously declared dead by many policymakers.
The potential contributions of each Gulf nation to securing concessions in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict depend on their distinct relationships with Israel and the United States. Crucially, the willingness of these nations to coordinate as a united front will play a pivotal role in their efforts to usher in the creation of a Palestinian state.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are steadily gaining influence as global mediators and strategic players, despite divergent foreign policy approaches. According to Andreas Krieg from the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, the current juncture presents a unique opportunity for these Gulf nations. Their growing leverage could potentially enable them to secure concessions from Israel that were previously unattainable, marking a pivotal moment in international relations.
Qatar has particularly dominated headlines as an adept negotiator between Israel and Hamas in securing hostage releases and getting aid into Gaza. This is largely due to the connections it has built not only with western powers but Islamist groups, which led to a three-and-a-half-year diplomatic blockade by the UAE and Saudi Arabia from 2017-2021.
The Gulf States are surprised by the US yet again being unwilling to press Israel more, protect human rights and push for a ceasefire.
Nevertheless, Qatar’s relations with these groups, as well as with Iran, have enabled the small nation to ‘maintain relevancy on the global stage’ and ‘become indispensable for great powers,’ according to Krieg.
