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In 2020, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other pro-U.S. Arab countries base their national security policy on issues which far transcend the Palestinian one. These issues include lethal threats posed by Iran’s ayatollahs, the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the spillover of the civil wars in Libya, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, the potential implosion of all Arab countries, etc.
In 2020, these countries view Israel’s posture of deterrence as a most valuable asset in the face of the aforementioned lethal threats. They also value Israel as a most productive resource to diversify their economy and enhance their standard of living.
At the same time, they consider the proposed Palestinian state a potential rogue regime, which would add fuel to the Middle East fire. Therefore, they are expanding their defense and commercial ties with Israel in an unprecedented manner, in defiance of Palestinian protests and irrespective of the paralysis of the Palestinian issue.
In 1979 and 1994, Egypt and Jordan concluded respective peace accords with Israel, in order to advance their national security—not as a gesture toward Israel—despite Palestinian threats and protests. Notwithstanding occasional anti-Israel Jordanian talk, the Hashemite Kingdom’s walk (militarily and commercially) reflects a realization that Israel makes an irreplaceable and critical contribution to the survival of the kingdom in the face of clear and present threats, both foreign and domestic. Against the backdrop of these threats, the establishment of the proposed Palestinian state would be the straw that breaks the Hashemite camel’s back.
Arab countries have showered Palestinians with warm talk accompanied by a cold walk, a reflection of Arab concern regarding the Palestinians’ systematic track record of association with rogue elements and engagement in intra-Arab subversion and terrorism.
Therefore, Arab countries have never flexed their military muscle—and barely their financial muscle—on behalf of the Palestinians.
Nor did Arab countries assist the Palestinians during the latter’s military confrontations with Israel (e.g., the 1982/83 Lebanon War, the first and second intifadas and the three wars in Gaza). Never did the Arabs fight Israel on behalf of the Palestinians.
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