Dr. Rami Qusay Aboud, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies at the University of Baghdad, has authored a significant and comprehensive study titled “Israeli Policy Toward the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries During the Period 2011-2023.” The book, presented by Dr. Rami Qusay Aboud, delves into a detailed analysis of Israeli political strategies in the Middle East, particularly towards the Arabian Gulf region. It explores how Israel, guided by the principles of maintaining international support and legitimizing its presence, seeks geographic and political expansion in the region.
The study highlights Israel’s continuous efforts to normalize relations with countries in the region across political, economic, and military domains. Israel has actively pursued diplomatic ties and peace agreements with various Middle Eastern countries since the signing of peace agreements with Egypt in 1979, the Oslo Accords with the Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1993, and the Wadi Araba Agreement with Jordan in 1994. Therefore, Israel aims to establish official relations with several Gulf Cooperation Council countries, especially following its participation in the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991.
The book underscores the importance of the study, noting that the subject has not received sufficient attention from researchers and study centers during the time frame starting from 2011. This period marked a new variable in Israeli politics towards the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly in normalizing relations. The study highlights the significance of Israel’s efforts, culminating in the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, to benefit from the natural resources of the region, explore new markets, and achieve its strategic goals in dominating the Middle East.
The study concludes that Israel successfully leveraged the Arab Spring events to enhance its interests and foster closer ties with Gulf Cooperation Council countries, normalizing relations without implementing the Arab Peace Initiative or finding a resolution to the Palestinian issue. The normalization, as emphasized in the study, occurred under the banner of “peace in exchange for security and prosperity.