Arab countries that have officially condemned the war in the Gaza Strip have, in recent years, been actively cooperating with Israel in the field of security. This was reported by the American publication The Washington Post, citing its sources and obtained classified documents.
According to the information, Israel and six Arab countries — Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — with the assistance of the United States, established a new system called the “Regional Security Construct.” Kuwait and Oman were viewed as potential partners who might join in the future.
The main task of this structure was to exchange intelligence information in the Middle East, coordinate efforts against missile and drone attacks, and develop a joint security strategy against Iran and its allied groups. The documents note that Iran and organizations under its influence were described as an “axis of evil.”
According to The Washington Post, between 2022 and 2025, Israel and these countries held several secret meetings under the auspices of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar.
Within the framework of cooperation, the participating countries integrated a unified defense system to counter Iranian missiles and drones. Saudi Arabia played a key role in this process, providing intelligence information to Israel and other neighboring countries.
A document prepared in 2024 stated that by 2026, a unified cybersecurity center was planned to be established in the Middle East. This center was expected to serve not only as a platform for information exchange but also as a site for joint cyber defense training exercises.
It should be recalled that in June of last year, in the Bahraini capital Manama, commanders of Arab states met with the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Army, General Herzi Halevi.
At the same time, although Arab states have officially condemned the bloody clashes in Gaza, several international sources have written that, in practice, they have not severed ties with Tel Aviv. For example, the Axios publication reported that behind-the-scenes dialogue and secret cooperation were still ongoing.
Germany’s Bild newspaper also wrote in December 2023 that while Arab countries publicly criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, in reality, they were supporting it in the fight against Hamas.
On November 11, 2023, during a joint meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Saudi Arabia, a proposal to take practical measures against Israel over the civilian casualties in Gaza was rejected.
During the meeting, some Muslim countries proposed imposing an oil embargo on Israel, suspending diplomatic and economic relations, restricting the delivery of weapons through U.S. military bases, and banning Israel from using Arab countries’ airspace. However, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan, and Djibouti did not support these proposals.
Thus, while the official rhetoric focuses on peace, the secret security cooperation between Arab states and Israel could fundamentally alter the political landscape of the region.
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