Israel plans to lobby the new Biden administration to avoid clashes over human rights and other controversial issues with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, senior Israeli defense officials say.
Why it matters: President-elect Biden has pledged to put human rights and democracy at the forefront of US foreign policy, and he skipped all three when he called the leaders of 17 countries following his election victory. He was especially critical of Saudi Arabia during the campaign on the war in Yemen and on human rights issues.
- Israel views its security and intelligence relationships with the three countries as central to its counter-Iran strategy and as an important pillar of regional security.
- Now Israel fears that Biden will seek not only a deal with Iran, but also cool relations with America’s Arab partners.
Driving the news: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt all welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s controversial decision this week to designate the Yemeni Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization.
- Israel has not taken a position on that decision – which some Democrats are already lobbying Biden to reverse – but has put new emphasis on the situation in Yemen in recent weeks.
- That’s partly because of threats from the Iranian-backed Houthis to Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, but mostly because of the implications of further Iranian entrenchment in the country for Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Israeli officials say.
- What to watch: The Israelis know that Biden will have a very different policy towards Yemen than Trump, especially when it comes to the Saudi role in the war. But they plan to encourage the new government to ensure its policy changes do not deepen Iranian influence or jeopardize regional cooperation on other issues.
Behind the scenes: Israeli defense officials tell me they plan to plead with the Biden government that the region has changed in the last four years, with new regional alignment as Israel strengthens its ties with Arab countries.
- Israel hopes the new government will prioritize that process over its concerns about the war in Yemen or human rights violations.
- On the one hand: Officials say Israel has encouraged Egypt and Saudi Arabia to take steps on human rights issues to improve the atmosphere for dialogue with the Biden government.
- On the other: They also plan to warn Biden’s team that a crisis in relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt could push those countries away from the US and towards Russia and China.
What they say: “We were very close to losing Egypt several years ago and our message to the Biden government will be, ‘Take it easy, dramatic changes took place, do not come up with construction and do not damage relations with Saudi Arabia. Arabia, Egypt and the UAE, ” a senior Israeli official told me.