On Oct. 2, Israel's Channel 2 TV news reported that senior Israeli security officials met with a high-level Gulf state counterpart in Jerusalem, believed to be Prince Bandar. And, a day before that TV report, Prime Minister Netanyahu hinted at the new relationship in his United Nations General Assembly speech, saying:
"The dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran and the emergence of other threats in our region have led many of our Arab neighbors to recognize, finally recognize, that Israel is not their enemy. And this affords us the opportunity to overcome the historic animosities and build new relationships, new friendships, new hopes."
Besides the shared Saudi-Israeli animosity toward Iran, the growing behind-the-scenes collaboration also has revolved around support for the military coup in Egypt that removed President Mohamed Morsi. Both Israel and Saudi Arabia supported the Egyptian military in its bloody coup against Morsi's elected government because of Morsi's association with the Muslim Brotherhood, a populist Sunni movement that was seen as a threat to Israel because of the Brotherhood's ties to Hamas and to Saudi royals because it offered a democratic alternative to Sunni authoritarianism.
So, while Saudi Arabia assured the Egyptian coup regime a steady flow of money and oil, the Israelis went to work through their lobby in Washington to insure that President Obama and Congress would not declare the coup a coup and thus trigger a cutoff of U.S. military aid.
The emerging Saudi-Israeli alliance also has reflected a recognition that the two countries have complementary "soft power" strengths that -- when combined -- could create a new superpower in the Middle East and arguably the world. While the Israelis are masters of propaganda and political lobbying (especially in the United States), Saudi Arabia can pull strings through its extraordinary access to oil and money. [For more details, see Consortiumnews.com's "Israeli-Saudi Alliance Slips into View."]
Diverging Paths
But Israel and its neocon backers will have to keep American politicians and the U.S. populace in line despite the darkening prospect that the Saudi-Israeli desire to inflict a body blow against Iran by overthrowing Assad is worth the risk of turning Syria into a new base for al-Qaeda terrorism.
On Wednesday, the New York Times outlined that danger in a front-page story, reporting:
"Intensifying sectarian and clan violence has presented new opportunities for jihadist groups across the Middle East and raised concerns among American intelligence and counterterrorism officials that militants aligned with Al Qaeda could establish a base in Syria capable of threatening Israel and Europe. ..."The concerns are based in part on messages relayed this year by Ayman al-Zawahri, Al Qaeda's overall leader, indicating that he views Syria -- where the number of jihadist rebels and foreign fighters is steadily rising -- as a promising staging ground. ...
"But [the Obama administration's] striking at jihadist groups in Syria would pose formidable political, military and legal obstacles, and could come at the cost of some kind of accommodation -- even if only temporary or tactical -- with Mr. Assad's brutal but secular government, analysts say. ...
"It is not clear whether or when the White House would be willing to make such an abrupt shift in approach after years of supporting the Syrian opposition and calling for Mr. Assad's ouster. It would certainly require delicate negotiations with Middle Eastern allies who were early and eager supporters of Syrian rebel groups, notably Saudi Arabia.
"One growing source of concern is the number of Muslims from Western countries who have gone to fight in Syria and might eventually return home and pose a terrorist threat. Analysts say at least 1,200 European Muslims have gone to Syria since the start of the war to join the fight, and dozens of Americans."
Netanyahu's Choice
So, the Netanyahu government faces a predicament. It can continue to expand its alliance with Saudi Arabia but -- in doing so -- it could further alienate the Obama administration and European leaders, especially if Israel's obsession with Shiite-ruled Iran is seen as exacerbating the Sunni terrorist threat against the West.
Saudi royals have long had their fingerprints on terrorism from al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups. In the 1980s, Saudi Arabia teamed up with the Reagan administration to fund, train and arm the Afghan mujahedeen against a communist secular state in Afghanistan backed by the Soviet Union.
The anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan brought to prominence Saudi national Osama bin Laden and the Sunni terrorists who later consolidated themselves under the global brand, al-Qaeda. In the 1980s, these roving jihadists were hailed as freedom fighters and brave defenders of Islam, but -- in the 1990s -- they began targeting the United States with terrorist attacks.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
