Gulf states are publicly condemning Israel and avoiding direct involvement in the war with Iran, but behind the scenes are conveying a different message to Israel and the United States, according to an Israeli official familiar with the discussions.
Senior officials in Persian Gulf countries have told their counterparts in Israel and the United States that the war with Iran must end with regime change in Tehran and that any other outcome would be worse, the official said.
“The Gulf states are praying that we finish the job, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and others,” the Israeli official said. “For them, Iran has been a nightmare that has terrorized them for decades, and finally someone has risen to put an end to it. In closed conversations, the messages we receive are, ‘Go all the way and may God help you.’”
At the same time, Gulf states requested an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday following Iranian strikes on energy facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. They are also promoting a new resolution condemning Iran over its attacks in the region.
Diplomatic efforts are expected to focus on freedom of navigation, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, amid concerns about continued instability and threats to international energy routes.
The Israeli official said Gulf states are not participating in the war because they fear Iran, even as they quietly support efforts to weaken it.
“Despite the recent Iranian strikes, the Iranians are still observing certain rules of the game,” the official said. “Another reason, and perhaps the most important, is that they believe Iran will survive the war and are worried about the day after.”
Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, said this week that Israel has offered assistance to Gulf states in dealing with Iranian attacks and that “there are those who are benefiting from our expertise in those areas right now.”
The official was asked whether the prospects for normalization with Saudi Arabia would improve after the war if there were regime change in Iran. He said that “at the moment, the chances for normalization with Saudi Arabia have declined significantly,” but added that a different regional architecture could emerge after the war, based on security and economic cooperation — though not necessarily open normalization.