In his article in the New York Times, the author Ben Hubbard criticized the absolute silence of the Arab world and his anger at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whenever he said or did something that irritated them, noting that if Netanyahu had pledged to extend Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank In the past, this unilateral promise would have provoked anger throughout the Arab world, but not today.

There are many reasons for this weak response from the Arab world to Netanyahu's pledge yesterday ahead of the Israeli elections. For one thing, his promise was seen as a late enticement for right-wing voters, and the Palestinian cause is no longer as passionate throughout the Arab world as it did before.

Hubbard pointed to the interest of Arabs in other countries, as Palestinian journalist Daoud said "Yes they care", and asked, "But will they move their forces? The answer is no. Will they withdraw their money from American banks? The answer is no."

He added that Netanyahu's pledge comes after strategic shifts in the Middle East that have pushed the Palestinian issue down the list of priorities of many Arab leaders and their people, and comes after US President Donald Trump's approval of a number of unilateral steps by Israel toward other territories.

Across the region, Arab states such as Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Iraq continue to suffer the effects of the Arab Spring uprisings and the war against ISIS, making them more focused on domestic issues. The Persian Gulf kingdoms such as Saudi Arabia, which strongly supported the Palestinians, are now more concerned about Iran's regional influence, a concern they share with Israel.

These changes, the writer says, have left the Palestinians with a few Arab allies willing to defend their cause. Arab leaders may avoid condemning Netanyahu and his plans because they are unwilling or unable to confront him.

"This raises expectations, because if they say we oppose this and this is terrible, then there is an expectation from their people that they will do something about it," writes Khaled al-Jundi, a Brookings researcher.

Trump's apparent support for Israel at the expense of the Palestinians, which has received no Arab response, has also played a role in Netanyahu's recent pledge that he is unlikely to provoke a storm in the region, said Lina Khatib, head of Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa program.