Policy Paper: Arab Options in Responding to the Shifts in Israel’s Regional Security Conduct

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By: ‘Atef al-Joulani.
(Exclusively for al-Zaytouna Centre).

Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations has issued a policy paper titled “Arab Options in Responding to the Shifts in Israel’s Regional Security Conduct.” Authored by political and strategic affairs expert ‘Atef al-Joulani, the paper articulates a comprehensive vision for addressing the challenges posed by the recent transformations in Israel’s security doctrine vis-à-vis the Arab region.

The vision emphasized the need for several Arab and Muslim states (though not necessarily all, should consensus prove unattainable) to adopt the goal of deterring Israel, rather than confining their defensive reliance to agreements with the US. It further proposed linking the continuation of existing treaties and accords to the termination of the occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state. The vision underscored the importance of framing Israel as a shared threat to the interests and stability of Arab and Muslim countries, and of formulating a strategic defense pact among the states aligned under this framework of mutual understanding. Moreover, it reaffirmed the centrality of Jerusalem and the Palestine issue as an Arab and Islamic cause, while warning against the grave dangers posed by annexation and displacement projects.

The paper analyzed the defining features of Israel’s emerging security posture, notably its shift toward a strategy of preemptive offensive deterrence, the broadening of its political and military hegemony, the intensification of targeted assassinations and preventive strikes, persistent efforts to disarm the resistance, and systematic attempts to penetrate Arab societies in order to consolidate a compliant regional order.

The paper outlined three Arab options for addressing these threats. The first involves reliance on US promises and ceasefire agreements, a course the paper deemed lacking any credible guarantees for halting such threats and therefore likely to prove a losing wager. The second entails an Arab-Islamic consensus on a collective vision to confront Israeli threats through joint institutional frameworks. Although theoretically the most desirable, the paper contended that this option is presently difficult to achieve, as the level of consensus required for such institutional coordination remains elusive. The third option envisions a limited number of Arab and Muslim countries agreeing on a shared vision to counter Israeli threats. The paper regarded this as the most pragmatic and flexible course, since its success could foster a regional environment capable of evolving into a durable and sustainable alliance.

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>> Policy Paper: Arab Options in Responding to the Shifts in Israel’s Regional Security Conduct … ‘Atef al-Joulani (14 pages, 1.1 MB)