Finally, Saudi Arabia and Israel have common ground for establishing a temporary strategic alliance similar in history to the one that existed during World War II between the Soviet Union and the Unites States against the Nazi regime. Both countries mistrust President Obama as a reliable ally as well as fear a future nuclear Iran.
Despite the major differences in values, and a history of enmity, it seems only rational that Saudi Arabia should seek the unthinkable and cooperate with the Jewish state in order to preserve its survival and political independence. Otherwise, the Saudis and the other Persian Gulf states will be the first victims of a nuclear Iran, without a capable, strong and reliable ally to come to their aid.
British Defense Secretary Liam Fox told the House of Commons in January that Iran may be capable of developing nuclear weapons by the end of 2012. By then the majority of U.S. and Western military forces will begin leaving the Middle East, and Israel will be the only remaining military power capable and motivated to militarily solve the Iranian problem. But Israel needs strategic cooperation from Saudi Arabia to succeed, including the right to fly over Saudi territory and emergency logistical support. Most importantly, Israel needs Saudi Arabia to delay any international or Arab plan to pressure Israel for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
While the world will be dangerously distracted and waste months on the Palestinian issue, Iran will be off the world radar and much closer to its goal.
The Saudis should be aware by now of the following truths:
First, Israeli leadership is more loyal to an Arab ally than President Obama. While Israel stood by President Mubarak, it took Obama three days to call for Mubarak, a long term U.S. friend, to leave office and to threaten him with cuts in foreign aid. It seems that Obama only confronts and abandons allies but prefers not to meddle in the internal revolts of enemies like Syria and Iran.
Second, continuing a state of war or a campaign of hatred and anti-Semitism against the Jewish state does not any longer guarantee an Arab regime’s political survival as witnessed by the revolts in Syria ,Libya and Yemen.
Third, Iran is the main danger to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, not Israel, as the WikiLeaks cables revealed when King Abdulla of Saudi Arabia repeatedly implored Washington to “cut off the head of the snake (Iran) while there was still time.”
Fourth, Obama will never advocate a military solution against Iran as we saw during the last two years from his futile policy of engagement and economic sanctions. Only Israel has the will, the self-interest and the know how to stop the Iranian menace. Israel demolished the nuclear reactor in Iraq in 1981 and a Syrian reactor in 2007. After the United States withdraws most of its armies from the Middle East, Obama’s ideology will negate the resending of U.S. troops to eliminate the Iranian threat.
Fifth, establishing a Palestinian state is not in the best interest of Saudi Arabia or Israel. As previously happened after Israel withdrew its military forces from Gaza in 2005, Hamas will be able to take over the new state by winning subsequent Palestinian elections, as it did in 2006, or by militarily defeating the PA, as it did in 2007. Such a state would become another Iranian base, threatening Israel but also destabilizing Jordan next door and circling the Saudis from the northwest.
Instead of considering initiatives to rally the Western Countries, including the United States against the International recognition of a Palestinian state, the Israeli prime minister should look into creating new alliances, even with traditional enemies. As the Arab proverb says, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Shoula Romano Horing was born and raised in Israel. She is an attorney in Kansas City and a national speaker. Her blog: www.shoularomanohoring.com.
