Israeli-Gulf relations

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) poses beside Khalid Mashaal (C), the Hamas chief in exile, and Gaza's prime minister Ismail Haniyeh prior to their meeting in Ankara on June 18, 2013. Senior leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas met today in Ankara with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to discuss Erdogan's planned visit to the Gaza Strip as well as the situation in Syria, the source said on condition of anonymity. AFP PHOTO/ PRIME MINISTER PRESS OFFICE/ YASIN BULBUL == RESTRICTED T

Analysis

Will Turkey host Hamas leaders after consequential Qatar departure?

Pro-Muslim Brotherhood groups and leaders in Turkey enjoyed few restrictions on their activities in the past but are now seeing their activities curtailed.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 20: President Donald Trump (R) holds up a chart of military hardware sales as he meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Oval Office at the White House on March 20, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Saudi Arabia to pursue two-track approach for Trump presidency

Riyadh is likely to compartmentalize business dealings with incoming President Donald Trump separately from its foreign policy engagements, where there is likely to be disagreement.

Jennifer Gnana

By Jennifer Gnana

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

After UAE visit, Qatari PM holds talks in Iran as Hamas officials depart Doha

A Gulf political official told Al-Monitor on Wednesday that the Qatari prime minister's visit to the UAE is designed to communicate Doha's new policy toward Hamas, where it seeks to be more in alignment with them regarding the group.

Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi (C), Director the Security Agency Ronen Bar (C-R) and Israel's Chief of the Mossad David Barnea (R).

Shin Bet chief discusses Gaza truce in Turkey: What we know

The Israeli official's travel to Turkey marks a dramatic development considering that Ankara has not played a part in these negotiations over the past year and Israel-Turkey relations have significantly deteriorated amid the Gaza war.

Latest News

MBS condemns Israel's 'genocide' in Gaza as Saudi frustrations mount

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives to attend a EU - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Brussels on October 16, 2024. Avoiding a "general conflagration" in the Middle East will be top of the agenda when European Union and leaders of countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, meet in Brussels on October 16, 2024. (Photo by JOHANNA GERON / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JOHANNA GERON/POOL/AFP via Get

Analysis

Beyond congratulations, Trump faces changed, eastward-looking Gulf

US President Donald Trump (L) speaks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C) as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (2nd R) and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May smile during a family photo session at the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. (Photo by KIM KYUNG-HOON / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read KIM KYUNG-HOON/AFP via Getty Images)

Jennifer Gnana

By Jennifer Gnana

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics

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Saudi-Israel normalization 'off table' until Palestinian statehood, FM says

Saudi Arabian Minister for Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud arrives at the BRICS summit in Kazan on October 24, 2024. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As response looms, US tries to dissuade Israel from catastrophic attack on Iran

Italian F35 fighter jets take part in the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on November 11, 2019. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

(L-R) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani pose before they participate in the signing of the Abraham Accords, on the South Lawn of the White House, Washington, Sept. 15, 2020.

Netanyahu says peace with Saudis could lead to Israel-Palestine resolution

Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu in a rare interview with Saudi-owned outlet, called on US to reaffirm alliance with Riyadh, and for Riyadh to enter talks with Jerusalem for normalizing ties.

Israel's President Isaac Herzog (R) and Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after the former tasked the latter with forming a new government, in Jerusalem, on Nov. 13, 2022.

President Herzog presents Israel’s liberal face

President Isaac Herzog, and his brother, Israel’s envoy to the US Michael Herzog, could help Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu reassure the concerned Biden administration.

Herzog

Israel’s president in UAE after historic visit to Bahrain

Israel's President Isaac Herzog is in Bahrain, the next stop on his historic tour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Affairs Minister of the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Foreign Affairs Minister of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani participate in the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House, Washington, Sept. 15, 2020.

Netanyahu to visit UAE

Already before assembling his government, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu prepares his first visit abroad — to Abu Dhabi.

Israeli security forces guard a bus station at the Tapuach junction near the city of Nablus, West Bank, July 1, 2020.

US concerned over Netanyahu de facto annexing West Bank

For Washington, the concessions Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is now offering his far-right partners could quickly reignite tensions in the West Bank.

Emirates Israel

Abraham Accords, World Cup drive increase in Israeli air traffic

Ongoing rapprochement and the World Cup tournament currently underway in Qatar have driven a significant increase in air traffic to the region via Israel.

GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli soccer fans find cold welcome in Qatar

The joy of many Israeli soccer fans over traveling to Qatar for the World Cup was quickly soured by rejection from Arab soccer fans.

Israel soccer

Thousands of Israeli fans flock to World Cup in Qatar

Lack of diplomatic relations did not deter Israeli soccer fans from traveling to Qatar and mixing with other fans from Lebanon, Jordan, and even Iran.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz walks with the chief of Azerbaijan's State Border Service, Col. Gen. Elchin Guliyev.

Azerbaijan becomes first Shiite country to open embassy in Israel

The decision is a diplomatic victory for outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Meanwhile, incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is struggling to assemble his ruling coalition.

IRNA/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli-owned tanker hit by drone off Oman coast

No group or country have taken responsibility for the drone attack last night against the Pacific Zircon, but the Israeli security system suspects Iran was behind the hit.

Afif Abu Much

UAE think tank explores fallout of Israeli elections

In a sign of strengthening relations, a first-of-its-kind symposium this week in Abu Dhabi discussed election results in Israel and the political and security climates there.

Jordan's Queen Rania opens the Paris Peace Forum

Israel skips Paris Peace Forum

Hosting young entrepreneurs and civil groups from across the globe, the Paris Peace Forum could have been an opportunity for Israelis to meet with counterparts from Algeria, Qatar and other countries that lack diplomatic relations with Jerusalem.