Saudi realignment targets Israel, empowers Islamist forces, and destabilizes region while betraying genuine peace efforts.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly engineering a new regional alignment designed to replace the so-called “moderate Sunni axis,” signaling a strategic pivot that places Israel—not extremism—as the region’s central problem.
According to reporting by Kan News, Riyadh is exploring a bloc that could include Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Egypt, and Pakistan—an uneasy mix that risks legitimizing actors long hostile to Israel and Western stability.
Gulf officials reportedly believe Saudi Arabia has escalated public and covert criticism of the United Arab Emirates, accusing Abu Dhabi of coordinating with Israel against Saudi interests—going so far as to brand the UAE an “Israeli proxy.” The narrative marks a sharp departure from pragmatic cooperation toward divisive regional posturing.
The shift is also widely interpreted as a bid to align more closely with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose record of Islamist rhetoric and hostility toward Israel has repeatedly inflamed regional tensions. Adding to concerns are reports of Riyadh adopting a softer line toward the Muslim Brotherhood and defending Turkish interests across Africa—moves seen as empowering ideological forces over moderation.
For Israel and its partners, the implications are clear: redefining Israel as the problem while excusing or elevating Islamist actors undermines security, rewards radicalism, and erodes prospects for genuine peace built on accountability and cooperation.
