Occupied Jerusalem
- Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz officially announced the establishment of a "joint air defense alliance in the Middle East" to confront what Tel Aviv and its allies describe as Iranian threats, observers and experts.
Rather, they saw that the political developments and transformations in recent years established this coalition led by Washington in partnership with Tel Aviv.
The alliance reflects what the former commander of the Israeli Air Force, Amikam Norkin, stated when he terminated his position last March, when he said, “When we say the defense alliance, we are not talking about an imaginary or hypothetical plan, but rather about an alliance project that is developing in full swing. It has become realistic and is gradually being translated and implemented on the ground in the Middle East."
Observers believe that the dissolution of the Knesset and Israel's heading to new parliamentary elections will not affect the new alliance (Reuters)
Israel's internal problems have no effect
Washington’s decision about a year ago to transfer Israel from the US military command in Europe to the US military command in the Middle East was the cornerstone for launching, establishing and expanding this alliance, with the certainty that Israel would have a regional and vital role, while the normalization agreements (Abrahamic agreements) came to give the umbrella For this gradual alliance, according to the Israeli point of view.
Regardless of the latest developments in Israel, with the dissolution of the Knesset and heading for new parliamentary elections, and regardless of the Israeli government that will be formed in the future, the Israelis are unanimously agreed to continue this alliance and expand its activities.
Observers attribute this to the fact that the essence of the Israeli strategy with regard to Iranian threats has not and will not change, as its moves against Tehran aim to eliminate the nuclear project, undermine Iran's military position in Syria, and destroy Hezbollah's arsenal and missiles.
central role for Israel
In the face of this declared Israeli position and the operations attributed to Tel Aviv against Iran, Eyal Alima, an analyst for military and security affairs in the Israeli channel Kan, says that this "air defense alliance" expresses the convergence of the regional interests of Israel and the countries of the Middle East, as well as America.
Alima indicated to Al-Jazeera Net that the new regional security arrangements that Gantz reviewed in his statements also serve Israel, especially in light of the strengthening of Iranian influence in the Middle East, and the failure to curb Iranian military entrenchment in Syria, at a time when Tehran continues to advance the nuclear project.
This alliance, according to Alimah, "may be an indication that America will remain in the region, and will not allow Iran to monopolize the region, especially since Washington will preside over it and Israel will have a central role in it given its security, military and air defense capabilities."
US President Joe Biden's visit to the region is seen as a supporter of the establishment of the defense alliance in the Middle East (Al-Jazeera)
Institutionalizing the Alliance
The Israeli military analyst believes that the visit of US President Joe Biden to the region pushes towards the institutionalization of the air defense alliance, as the Israeli security and military leaders pin hopes on results for the Middle East in order to strengthen this alliance so that Saudi Arabia will be a pivotal partner in it, which is considered for Tel Aviv a security and military contribution And it may have political advantages that pave the way for normalization.
Alimah ruled out that the Israeli political situation would have any effects on the future of this American-led alliance, noting that the White House's assertion that Biden's visit to the region will be as usual despite the dissolution of the Knesset and in isolation from the Israeli political changes, confirms Washington's seriousness to strengthen and expand this alliance to preserve its regional interests that intersect With the interests of Israel and Arab and Islamic countries in the region.
Limited results against Iran
In response to a question if the formation of the alliance reflects Israel's failure to confront the Iranian threats, Alimah answered that "the formation of this alliance reflects the convergence of the regional interests of the countries that fall under its umbrella, bearing in mind that the battle that Israel is waging against Iran has achieved limited results, and it was not at the level that Tel Aviv describes and promotes it," adding that this reality comes "while Tehran is heading to build a nuclear bomb."
The military analyst says that "Israel has not completely succeeded in undermining Iran's influence and has not been able to curb its military position in Syria, while Hezbollah continues to arm itself to the point that it has accurate missiles that pose a strategic threat to Israel."
Nimrod Jorn: Normalization with Arab countries paved the way for new transformations and alliances (communication sites)
Partnership in all fields
On the other hand, Nimrod Gorn, director of the Mitvim Institute, which specializes in foreign policies for Israel and the Middle East, believes that the alliance reflects a new and changing phase of diplomacy, civil and security relations, and commercial and industrial exchanges in the Middle East, the transformations that normalization agreements laid the cornerstone for.
Gorn explained to Al Jazeera Net that normalization between Israel and the countries of the region paved the way for making alliances and partnership between Israel and Arab and Islamic countries realistic in all fields, including security and military cooperation, and that relations were not limited to heads of regimes, "as the person of the former Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who kept normalization in a circle His personal goals and not in the context of Israel's interests."
Nevertheless, the Israeli expert believes that bringing the “air defense alliance” into effect would not have been achieved without the new diplomacy of the Bennett-Lapid government, which in one year achieved unprecedented achievements by removing Israel from its European isolation, expanding the circle of normalization with it, and strengthening relations with Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. .
Not against Iran alone
Gorn believes that building an "air defense alliance in the Middle East" reflects the intersection of interests between Israel and the Arab countries and is an indication of America's survival in the region, and not only in order to confront "Iranian threats," noting that Israel has coordinated behind the scenes for a decade and a half with Arab and Islamic countries. to confront Iran.
Thus, the Israeli expert says, "Such alliances reflect a state of general security and military cooperation between countries, and will not be directed only against the threats of Iran, whose interests converge with Arab and Islamic countries, which are countries that will not be ready to fight any war on behalf of Israel."