The Netanyahu government is in talks with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, to establish a four-nation defense alliance, according to i24NEWS (Exclusive: Israel in talks to establish 4-nation defense alliance with Saudi, UAE, and Bahrain).
The report does not cite any source but suggested that the defense alliance talks are a response to the growing Iranian threat as the Biden administration appears to encourage the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal and dropping the sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Iran’s expanding its terrorist network to Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia is also a major motivation for the four potential allies to join forces.
No official response has been issued by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office, but a political source in Jerusalem told Israel Hayom on Thursday: “We do not confirm the news. Israel is constantly working to strengthen its ties with the Arab world.”
Netanyahu spoke on Thursday with Bahrain’s heir apparent, Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Israel Hayom—Netanyahu’s most supportive news outlet—speculated that the two may have discussed the establishment of an alliance.
Unnamed sources in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi confirmed the report on the regional defense alliance to Israel Hayom but stressed the talks are still in their early stages.
According to the same sources, it is Saudi Arabia that resolutely promotes the alliance. But Saudi sources neither denied nor confirmed the report.