While Gulf leaders have condemned the death and destruction in Gaza in speeches, statements and social media posts, they have also been careful to stress the importance of regional stability and communication networks. Qatar, the country most diplomatically involved in the crisis, does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel but has successfully brokered a cessation of fighting and granted the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The United States has championed Arab-Israeli normalization for two administrations. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain formalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, followed by Morocco and Sudan. The US government had hoped that Saudi Arabia, the dominant Gulf power, would be next. Those plans are currently on hold.
“I can’t prove what I’m about to say,” President Biden said earlier this month. “But one of the reasons why Hamas carried out the attack is because I am working very closely with Saudi Arabia and others in the region to bring peace to the region by recognizing Israel and Israel’s right to exist.” I believe it was because they knew it was there.”
Saudi Arabia has called for a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, calling the war a “dangerous development” and a “humanitarian catastrophe.” Domestically, Saudi Arabia has taken steps to publicly express solidarity with the Palestinians, leading to relief efforts and fundraising efforts.
At the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on November 18, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki Al Faisal, a former ambassador to Washington and senior royal official, said the Gaza crisis was a sign that regional peace efforts were failing to address the problem. He said it shows. The occupation of Palestinian land is a “fantasy”.
“This war is a turning point in the process of seriously seeking a just solution to the Palestinian problem,” he said. Any future efforts must address the “legitimate demands of the Palestinian people for self-determination.”
The UAE and Bahrain have defended their relations with Israel, arguing that Israel can act as a de-escalating force in the crisis.
Anwar Gargash, a foreign affairs adviser to the UAE president, said the country has influence over Israel that would not exist otherwise. He said they had previously used their influence to promote humanitarian relief, “but this influence will also increase at some stage.”
Asked if anything might force the UAE to sever ties with Israel, Gargash cautiously replied: “No. The solution in politics is communication. ”
But on social media, at protests and in dinner table conversations, many in the Gulf say they want their leaders to do more.
“We don’t see any benefit. We should put pressure on Israel, that’s the way to end apartheid by boycotting,” he said recently, protesting with his sister and young niece in Bahrain’s capital Manama. said a 45-year-old pharmacist who participated in the normalization protest demonstration. Like others in this article, she spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss politically sensitive topics.
“What you’re saying by normalization is that what’s happening to Palestinians is normal,” she said. The woman, whose family is Palestinian, does not think diplomatic relations with Israel are contributing to the region.
“If we had stability, what is happening in Gaza would not have happened. Instability has always existed, but now it is out in the open for everyone to see. Now you can.”
Amid growing public anger, Israeli companies in the Gulf have adopted a policy of keeping a low profile. They are skipping trade shows, advertising and reducing the size of their official delegations.
“Below the surface, it’s business as usual. We just don’t advertise the relationship too much,” said a Gulf businessman who works extensively with Israeli companies.
“We have had a business relationship for some time.” [the Abraham Accords] And it’s going to be there after this is over,” he said.
But consumers are consulting with their wallets. Grassroots boycott movements against Western brands such as Starbucks and McDonald’s are gaining support in the Gulf and across the Arab world.
The 30-year-old Kuwaiti social media consultant, who has lived all his life in Dubai, described the UAE’s relationship with an Israeli company as “uncomfortable”. She used to meet regularly with representatives of Israeli brands, but she said she has taken a step back since the war started. She doubts the situation will ever return to what it was before October 7, when Hamas militants killed at least 1,200 people across southern Israel.
On the surface, life in the UAE appears to continue as normal, but the woman said the war has consumed everything. It dominates conversations with friends and family. “Everyone is just numb,” she said. Like thousands of others, she took part in government-sponsored aid operations in Dubai.
“I wanted an outlet to feel like I was making a difference, even if it was in a small way,” she says. “This is the best I can do. My hands are tied, so I’m going to do whatever I can within my resources.”
No matter how widespread the feeling of helplessness and failure is, it has not translated into anti-government sentiment, she said.
“Some people expect the UAE to take a stronger stance, but at the end of the day they trust the government because there is information that we don’t know,” she said. “You can tell by their track record that they prioritize security and stability.”
In Bahrain, the anger appears to be more raw and potentially more worrying for authorities.
A few miles from the five-star hotel where the Manama security summit was held, hundreds of people marched against normalization, chanting: “From Ramallah to Bahrain, we are one country, not two. ” They marched, chanting “No to forced migration, no to normalization, long live Palestine.” ! ”
The march was granted a protest permit by the Bahraini government, which participants said was a recognition that public discontent has now become an undeniable political force.
Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa warned against actions that undermine the “rules-based order” in a speech marking the opening of the summit. He said such countries needed to “work together with all stakeholders to ensure our voices are heard.” He warned that the longer the war in Gaza drags on, the more likely it will lead to destabilization and extremism.
In a nearby neighborhood dotted with trendy restaurants and cafes, dozens of people recently gathered outside the offices of a Palestinian advocacy group to call on the government to sever ties with Israel.
A 33-year-old Bahraini man who works as a private art curator and describes himself as a government supporter admitted he was never satisfied with his country’s decision to normalize relations. Now that he has seen the brutality of the war in Gaza, he hopes authorities will change course.
“I believe that the values of a society are never fully reflected in its leaders, but I hope that society will change in this regard and that we will sever ties,” he said.
Grudges have long simmered in the Sunni-ruled Shiite parts of the kingdom, and the war in Gaza has fueled even more open anger.
Dozens of men, women and children gathered outside a Shiite mosque in the north after Friday prayers, holding signs calling for the eradication of Israel and condemning American leaders for genocide.
“We are a small voice, but we are an important voice,” said a 35-year-old travel agent on the edge of the rally.
“The people of Saudi Arabia, they cannot protest,” he said, referring to Bahrain’s strict restrictions on public gatherings in its powerful oil-rich neighbor. “But we are saying out loud what all Saudis, Arabs and Muslims are thinking in their hearts.”