Are America and Israel losing the Arab world?
report Mehr News Agency, Farin Afrez publication in a report entitled “America and Israel are losing the Arab world”, Hamas’ “Storm of Al-Aqsa” operation on October 7, 2023 called it a turning point that overshadowed the normalization process of Arabs with Tel Aviv.
Farin Afrez wrote: The operation of Hamas happened at the same time when a new order was emerging in the region. Three years ago, four members of the Arab League, including Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, began the process of normalizing their diplomatic relations with Israel. At the same time as the last days of the summer of 2023, the most prominent Arab country, Saudi Arabia, which had not yet recognized Israel, seemed inclined to take a similar action.
However, the Hamas operation and the subsequent brutal Israeli attacks on Gaza slowed this popular movement towards normalization. Saudi Arabia has announced that it will not pursue the normalization agreement as long as Israel does not take clear steps to facilitate the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Jordan recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv in November 2023, and the visit of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of the Zionist regime, to Morocco, which was planned for the end of 2023, never materialized.
This report follows:
Arab leaders have been watching the developments with concern at the same time as the criticism and open opposition of their citizens to the Gaza war. In many countries, thousands of people are protesting against Israel and the Gaza war and the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by this war. Protesters in Jordan and Morocco have also demanded the cancellation of their respective country’s peace agreements with Tel Aviv, and have expressed their frustration over the government’s lack of attention to the people’s wishes.
October 7, 2023 was also a turning point and a fateful moment for America. The war in Gaza strongly mobilized the public opinion of the Arab world against the ally of Israel, the United States; An issue that not only confuses America’s efforts to help resolve the crisis, but also strongly intertwines Washington’s struggle to contain Iran and China’s growing influence in the Middle East.
“Arab Barometer”, which is a non-partisan research institute, has been conducting opinion polls in 16 Arab countries every two years since 2006. and collects the opinions and opinions of the general citizens in an area where polls are rarely conducted. After the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, other polls consistently reported a decline in Arabs’ favorable and positive opinion of the US. Polls conducted in five countries in late 2023 and early 2024 show that America’s position among Arabs has decreased significantly. Based on a survey that was conducted in part before and another part after October 7th, it strongly indicates that this change in reaction and position is related to the events in Gaza.
The more surprising point is that according to the findings of these polls, America’s defeat is equivalent to China’s victory! In recent polls, the opinion of Arab citizens has become more favorable towards China, and half a decade of weak support for China has now been reversed. These results show that the view of the Arab world reflects deep dissatisfaction with America.
In the coming months and maybe years, American leaders are looking for the end of the Gaza war and the beginning of negotiations for a permanent settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian war, and this At the same time, the country hopes to protect the Red Sea from Yemeni attacks, protect the international economy, and by forming a regional coalition, to contain Iran and limit China’s influence in the region. Nevertheless, Washington needs the participation and support of the Arab world to achieve these goals; A problem that will become even more difficult if the Arabs continue to doubt America’s goals in the Middle East.
Most Arab leaders are authoritarian and do not pay attention to public opinion, and as a result, American policymakers should prefer agreement with Arab leaders over winning the hearts and souls of their citizens! However, in general, the thought that Arab leaders are not influenced by public opinion is simply a myth. The “Arab Spring” movement in 2019 led to a change in the leadership of four Arab countries. Therefore, authoritarian countries should also pay attention to the opinion of the people who govern them. Today, due to the significant intensification of anti-American sentiments among the Arab countries, there are a handful of Arab leaders who want to openly trumpet their cooperation with Washington.
