Israel is well-positioned in the new Middle East - analysis

The Middle East is changing. A new diplomatic era has emerged in the region that is reducing conflict in Yemen, Syria, Libya, and elsewhere. Countries that were once rivals or adversaries are now holding talks or reconciling. Israel is among the countries that have been part of this shift, particularly through the Abraham Accords. However, some of the changes in the region, such as China’s growing influence, Syria’s return to the Arab League, and Iran-Saudi ties could present challenges for Israel depending on how those initiatives develop. 

Israel is well positioned in the Middle East today. This week Israel announced a huge success in defense exports - in 2022 those exports were more than $12 billion. The Abraham Accords countries accounted for almost a quarter of those deals. This is a huge increase in a short period of time. But defense deals are only a part of the larger picture. Israel has important strategic ties with Azerbaijan and India and is increasing its close partnerships with Cyprus and Greece.

This means that the real story of Israel’s position in the region is its connections to multiple countries that link central Europe with the region and then link to India and the Pacific. READ MORE