A Comparative Study of the Normalization Process of Arab Countries' Relations with Israel with Emphasis on the Palestinian Issue (Case Study: Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student in International Relations/Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch

2 Associate Professor of International Relations, Law Department, East Tehran Branch

3 Full Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Abstract

The change in the approach of some Arab states towards Israel reflects the profound changes in the structure of the regional order in the Middle East, which have been shaped by its internal conditions and international structures. Also, the place of the Palestinian issue in the collective memory of Arab nations is an issue that has had a direct relationship with the process of normalizing Arab relations with Israel. Given the importance of these issues, the present study, with a case study of four countries: Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, seeks to conduct a comparative analysis of the policies of normalizing these countries' relations with Israel. Using the theoretical framework of neoclassical realism and a descriptive-analytical method, this article attempts to answer the main question: What are the differences in the weighting of material interests and normative considerations among Arab countries, and what impact has the Gaza crisis had on this process? The research hypothesis is that Arab states have moved towards normalization with Israel mainly within the framework of strategic interests and regional threats such as Iran, but the higher weight of normative considerations and domestic sensitivities in countries such as Saudi Arabia has slowed this process; while countries such as the UAE have adopted a more materialistic approach. Also, the frequent crises in Gaza, especially in recent years, have played a deterrent or moderating role in the path of normalization in some Arab countries. The findings of the article show that the normalization of relations with Israel in the Arab world is a multifactorial and complex process that cannot be explained solely by relying on structural variables and that perceptual, identity, and domestic considerations must also be taken into account in its analysis

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