N. P. Upadhyaya, Kathmandu: The United Arab Emirates, UAE, recently established full-fledged diplomatic ties with Israel-a country which was till the other day a taboo for the Muslim nations across the world.

This news has stirred the entire Arab world politics whose reverberations could well be noticed in South Asia as well.

In a historical move, Nepal became the first South Asian country to have recognized Israel, for the record.

This had annoyed Indian Prime Minister Pundit Nehru to the hilt, to recall.

It is this tie up with Israel, the Arab world have split into two halves: the one which apparently favors ties with Israel in the given changed world context then the other opines that diplomatic recognition to Israel tantamount to an act of treachery against the Palestinians who have all along been demanding a separate state to which Israel denies.

However, the UAE claims that its tie up with Israel would mean much to the Palestinians and that Israel will henceforth not pounce upon the Palestinians.

The Israelis have kept a stoic silence on the UAE presumption.

International media sources say that after the establishment of the diplomatic ties with Israel, it will open the gates for having bilateral business relations, tourism, direct flights, and scientific cooperation for the UAE.

UAE wants the ties with Israel for its enhanced security cooperation against regional threats, especially from Iran and its allies. Sources even claim that the UAE has already clandestine security ties with Israel but this time it has come to the open.

In the meantime, some reports had said last week that Israel-UAE ties have been hit by a huge snag, however, the Israeli PM Netanyahu has denied reports that the UAE deal hinges on the sale of US F-35 stealth fighter jets to the Emirates, saying that he vehemently opposes a move that could reduce Israel’s strategic edge in the Gulf region.

International media reports reveal that some top US officials have already landed in the Emirates to finalize the full scope of the bilateral ties. The details though are not known.

To recall, on August 13, the UAE became the third Arab country to officially normalize relations with Israel. Egypt and Jordan have had their ties with Israel already.

US Secretary Mike Pompeo who is now is UAE talked over telephone with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is seen as the driving force behind the agreement with Israel, which still awaits negotiations on a number of details before it is officially signed, reports Aljazeera dated August 26, 2020.

Informed sources say that some more countries in the Middle East are ready to establish their diplomatic ties with Israel. The countries that are likely to recognize Israel shortly are Jordan, Oman, and Bahrein.

However, some international media sources claim that while talking with the US Secretary of State Pompeo, Bahrein King Hamad said that his country is committed to the creation of a Palestinian state first.

This does then mean that Bahrein for the time being will not recognize Israel despite the mounting US pressure.

Similarly, the Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said the other day that his transitional government has “no mandate” to take the required steps for the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel, reports AlJazeera dated 26 August, 2020.

The heavyweight Saudi Arabian rulers too have said that any accord with Israel would not materialize without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, adds the Al Jazeera.

The Saudis changed their mind after the visit of Army Chief Bajwa, it is talked in the Pakistani press.

This is sad news for those who were all excited that SA will soon establish ties with Israel.

The fresh condition of the Saudi Arabia is the sure shot creation first of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, a senior member of the Saudi royal family reaffirmed last weekend.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has set a price for concluding peace between Israel and the Arabs – it is the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital, as provided for by the initiative of the late King Abdullah”, is what is the Saudi’s fresh stance or say the prime condition.

News reports from Turkey claim that this country is dead against the UAE’s recognition granted to Israel.

Turkey has even threatened that it may even may break its diplomatic ties with the UAE for this reason.

The HAMAS has also taken the UAE step as “back stabbing”.

As of Pakistan, the Prime Minister said last weekend that his country will not recognize Israel until there is a Palestinian state “acceptable to the Palestinians”.

High placed sources say that the USA has brokered the establishment of UAE-Israel diplomatic ties. President Trump’s relative had remained instrumental in the mediatory role, it is believed.

The USA and the Saudi Arabian rulers were involved in fixing the ties of Israel with the United Arab Emirates.

This is meaningful in that the Saudis have taken steps back now.

And as per the Saudi Arabian dictates, the UAE is learnt to have approved its ties with Israel.

However, Saudis dictates are being ignored by some countries like Qatar and perhaps Kuwait too and to a greater extent Pakistan.

These countries openly say that the UAE through the Saudis have ditched the rights of the Palestinians.

The UAE though denies but instead claims that Israel will now respect the rights of the Palestinians.

As regards, Iran’s reaction to the UAE-Israel diplomatic link, the Iranian President Hassan Rohani blasted the de facto U.A.E. leader Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed’s (MBZ) reported pledge, which follows a de-escalation with Tehran, as a “huge mistake.”

Iranian President Rohani also warned the U.A.E. against allowing Tehran’s regional archenemy, Israel, to secure a “foothold in the region”, reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty dated August 18, 2020.

Reacting on the UAE-Israel diplomatic ties, the Iranian armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri, says that Tehran’s approach toward the U.A.E. will now change as a result of the planned peace deal.

The U.A.E., he said, will be held responsible “if something happens in the Persian Gulf and if our national security is damaged.”

The mysterious killing of Qasem Soleimani-the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) overseas Quds Force, is being taken as a major blow to the Islamic republic of Iran.

Iran basically fears that the UAE-Israel ties will allow Israel to “eye” on Iran from close quarters.

This means that Iran too is angry with the UAE for its ties with Israel.

Talking of Pakistan and other Muslim countries, it is believed that if Israel accepts a Palestinian state which is acceptable to the people of Palestine then these countries will also recognize Israel.

As regards the soured ties of Pakistan with the Saudis, reports are that the ties deteriorated from the day when reportedly the Saudi Prince’s Jet airliner tentatively refused to fly back the Pakistan Prime Minister from New York after attending the UN General Assembly last year around this time (September).The arrogant Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the MBS, exerted undue pressure on Pakistan not to attend the Kuala Lumpur Summit fearing that the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir and the Turkish President Erdogan collectively may hijack his domineering role in the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The inner matter is that the Saudi Arabian rulers fear the official formation of a China led block comprising of the countries Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and China itself.
The Saudis fear shall double if and when Iran, the rival of Saudi Arabia, joins this China led Quad.

With the Chinese increasing influence in Iran of late after the humiliating ouster/exit of India from Iran, chances are fair that such a consortium may take a formal shape which shall definitely ignore the Saudi Arabian unchallenged supremacy that it enjoyed until now.

If and when such a compact alliance takes shape, China will in all likelihood handover the de facto leadership to a nuclear Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Qureshi is learnt to have discussed about this consortium with his counterpart Wang Yi in his freshly concluded China visit, says a confidential source.
Qureshi’s hasty visit to China was not concentrated only on securing greater support from China on Kashmir issue but also to guarantee President Xi Jinping’s likely visit to Pakistan.

President Xi may land in Islamabad next month, say sources close to Chinese embassy in Kathmandu.

Notably, China has made already a statement on Kashmir after Qureshi landed in Beijing.

“China once again reiterated that it rejects the unilateral action taken by India on Kashmir”.

Islamabad hopes that China brings up the Kashmir issue right inside the United Nations general Assembly, this September.

Indian media sources presume that FM Qureshi while in China asked for help to set up a special corridor between Pakistan and Nepal for trade purposes.

If this happens then Nepal too can enhance its trade through the Gwadar port to the Central Asian Countries.

FM Qureshi personally had to settle some scores (related with his prestige) with the Saudi Kingdom in that the KSA in an implied manner demanded the resignation of FM Qureshi for his outright challenge to the Saudis wherein he had said that convene an urgent OIC meet to discuss the Kashmir oppression by India or else Pakistan shall have to summon an extraordinary meet of some likeminded Muslim countries to discuss the same.

However, FM Qureshi is all happy now with the Saudis. This is new development just opposite to what is in the rumor mill.

Reports say that this Qureshi challenge had hit hard the Saudi’s petro-dollar supremacy.

A financially weak Pakistan skipped the Kuala Lumpur summit for some understandable politico-diplomatic reasons.

Moreover, the almost childish demands of the Saudi Prince MBS to ban the Turkish tele-drama series Ertugrul being screened in Pakistan is surprising.

This drams speaks of Turkish courage and bravery and the Turkish heritage of the past which apparently is not comfortable with the Saudis. (The series is a must watch for those who wish to understand the bravery of the ancient Turks).

It appears that the Saudi Prince MBS fears that the leadership of the Muslim world (OIC) may go to the pocket of President Erdogan of Turkey from him (the Saudi) and thus he prefers to see that Pakistan, a nuclear nation, should not side with Malaysia and Turkey but instead remain attached with the Saudis forever.

In an oblique manner the MBS understands the weight of a nuclear Pakistan among the crowd of the Muslim nations.

Middle East diplomatic sources opine that Saudi Arabia and Turkey are battling for supremacy in the grabbing the leadership Islamic world. Pakistan has been backing Turkey over Saudi Arabia in this battle and has been trying to build a new Islamic group that also includes, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan and Malaysia.

This is what has made the Saudi Kingdom or say the MBS more restless and thus the reckless behavior he at time exhibits.

The Saudis also not in good terms with Qatar-the country which underwent a Saudi blockade.

High placed sources claim that the day Army Chief Bajwa led for Riyadh, FM Qureshi has a quiet talk with the Qatari Ambassador based in Islamabad.

If per chance, Saudis expel the Pak workers from the country then Qatar may come to the rescue of Islamabad.

And above all, the Saudi Prince at times used to pass on threats to Pakistan that if his commands and orders were not honored then the Saudi establishment may deport/return the Pakistani workers working in the Saudi Kingdom.

It is these continued undiplomatic pressures from MBS that Pakistan on some occasions obliged to the Saudi commands in the past, however, things have changed and Pakistan appears to have begun talking with the Saudis face to face fearing little as to what may happen later.

But yet PM Khan exhibited his diplomatic maturity and said recently that his country’s ties with Saudis were as good even today as it was in the past.

High placed sources opine that the present strain in Pak-Saudi ties were all due to Pak’s denial to recognize Israel as the Saudi was tentatively ready to recognize the political entity of Israel.

The Kingdom only preferred to award recognition to Israel simultaneously with Pakistan.

It was apparently this pressure from KSA that Qamar Bajwa and Lt.

General Faiz Hameed rushed to SA to convince the authorities that it was not the appropriate time yet to recognize Israel.

The rest the Army Chief talked on defense cooperation with the KSA during his meet with the defense minister Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
He also assured the Saudis of Pak’s continued support to the Kingdom.

Some sources say that the Pak-Saudi ties are yet to become normal. And Pakistan’s increasing bonhomie with Iran over these years after the advent of PM Khan may create problems in its ties with the US. It is here matured diplomatic steps are needed to strike a balance to keep both Iran and the US in good mood. This is the diplomatic test for Pakistan. That’s all.