Israel intends to lobby the new Biden administration to avoid human rights clashes and other controversial issues with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, senior Israeli defense officials told me.
Why does it matter: President-elect Biden has vowed to put human rights and democracy at the forefront of US foreign policy and skipped all three when he made phone calls to leaders in 17 countries after his election victory. He was particularly critical of Saudi Arabia during the Yemen war campaign and human rights issues.
- Israel considers its security and intelligence relations with the three countries to be central to its strategy to combat Iran and an important pillar in regional security.
- Now, Israel fears that Biden will not only seek an agreement with Iran, but also cool relations with America’s Arab partners.
News management: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt welcomed this week’s controversial decision by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to appoint Youthi rebels in Yemen as a terrorist organization.
- Israel has not taken a position on the decision – which some Democrats are already pressuring Biden to reverse – but has put a new focus on the situation in Yemen in recent weeks.
- This is partly due to Huthi-backed threats by Iran over Israeli transport to the Red Sea, but mainly because of the subsequent implications of Iranian rooting in the country for Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Israeli officials say.
- What to look for: Israelis know that Biden will have a very different policy from Yemen than Trump, especially when it comes to the Saudi role in the war. But it intends to encourage the new administration to ensure that its political changes do not deepen Iranian influence or jeopardize regional cooperation on other issues.
Behind the scenes: Israeli defense officials have told me they intend to convey to the Biden administration that the region has changed in the past four years, forming a new regional alignment as Israel strengthens ties with Arab countries.
- Israel hopes the new administration will prioritize this process over its concerns about the war in Yemen or human rights abuses.
- On the one hand: Officials say Israel has encouraged Egypt and Saudi Arabia to take action on human rights issues to improve the atmosphere of dialogue with the Biden administration.
- On the other hand: They also intend to warn Biden’s team that a crisis in relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt could push these countries away from the US and to Russia and China.
What are they saying: “We were very close to losing Egypt a few years ago and our message to the Biden administration will be: ‘Take it slow, there have been dramatic changes, you have not come with predispositions and you have not damaged relations with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Emirates. United Arab Emirates, “a senior Israeli official told me.