Israel plans to urge the incoming Biden government to avoid confrontations on human rights and other controversial issues with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, senior Israeli defense officials say.
Why it matters: Elected President Biden has vowed to put human rights and democracy at the forefront of U.S. foreign policy, and he skipped all three when, after his election victory, he brought phone calls to the leaders of 17 countries. He was particularly critical of Saudi Arabia during the campaign over the war in Yemen and human rights issues.
- Israel sees its security and intelligence relations with the three countries as central to its strategy to counter Iran and an important pillar in regional security.
- Now Israel fears that Biden will not only bring about an agreement with Iran, but also a cool relationship with the Arab partners of America.
Send the news: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt all this week welcomed Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo’s controversial decision to designate Yemen’s Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization.
- Israel has not taken a stand on the decision – which some Democrats are already pushing for Biden to reverse – but has placed new emphasis on the situation in Yemen in recent weeks.
- This is partly due to threats from the Iran-backed Houthis over Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, but mainly due to the consequences of further Iranian entrenching in the country for Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Israeli officials say.
- What to look for: The Israelis know that Biden will have a very different policy on Yemen than Trump, especially as regards the Saudi role in the war. But they plan to encourage the new government to make sure that its policy shifts do not deepen Iranian influence or jeopardize local cooperation on other issues.
Behind the scenes: The Israeli defense officials tell me that they intend to change the Biden government the matter that the region has changed over the past four years, with a new regional adjustment as Israel strengthens its ties with Arab countries.
- Israel hopes the new government will prioritize the process over its concerns about the war in Yemen or human rights violations.
- On the one hand: Officials say Israel has urged Egypt and Saudi Arabia to take steps on human rights issues to improve the atmosphere for dialogue with the Biden government.
- On the other side: They also plan to warn Biden’s team that a crisis in relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt could push the countries from the US to Russia and China.
What they say: “We were very close to losing Egypt a few years ago and our message to the Biden government would be: ‘Take it slow, dramatic changes have taken place, do not come up with predispositions and do not make relations with Saudi Arabia,’ Egypt and the United States are not harmed. UAE, ” a senior Israeli official told me.