Amidst the changing geopolitical and geostrategic landscape around the world, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a new mutual defense agreement to counter the rising threat of Israeli aggression.
Abbas Hashemite
Recently, the Israeli fighter planes attacked a residential building in Doha, killing 5 Hamas members and 1 Qatari security personnel. The Hamas negotiating team, present in Doha to discuss the Trump peace plan for Gaza, was the actual target of the Israeli air force. Reportedly, the Hamas officials agreed to most of the proposals when Israeli planes bombarded Doha. However, the Israeli government once again disrupted the peace process, leading to further escalating tensions in the region.
Fear, Failure, and the Illusion of Arab Sovereignty
The defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will not only enhance the latter’s security, but it will also strengthen Islamabad’s diplomatic and strategic outreach
These Israeli strikes not only disrupted the Israel-Palestine peace negotiations but also inculcated a sense of fear in the regional countries, especially the Arab nations, over the former’s expansionist designs. Qatari officials denounced the Israeli attacks and pledged to retaliate. Qatar also convened an Arab-Islamic summit to discuss retaliatory strategies. However, the joint declaration of the summit was nothing more than a rhetorical condemnation and was largely seen as a failure of the Arab states to ensure their sovereignty due to their over-reliance on the US. These strikes also disclosed the United States’ paradoxical approach to the regional states and its unwavering support for the Zionist regime.
The Arab states have mostly been dependent on the United States for their defense against foreign aggressors. The United States has kept its security bases in most of the Arab countries of the Middle East. These military bases were established to ensure the safety of the US allies, including the Arab countries, in the region. However, the recent events illustrate that these bases are only to protect the US regional interests and Israel. The US establishment condemned the Israeli strikes in Qatar. However, reports suggest that the Israeli government informed the Trump administration about the strikes beforehand.
The US air defense system remained inactive during the Israeli airstrikes, raising serious questions about the US’s loyalty towards its Arab allies in the region. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, also visited Israel after meeting Qatar’s Prime Minister to show the United States’ unwavering support for the Zionist state’s war crimes and genocidal operations in Gaza and its regional expansionist designs. While addressing the questions of journalists in the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump stated that “Well, he [Netanyahu] won’t be hitting in Qatar.” However, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a joint press conference with Marco Rubi, refuted Trump’s claim by stating that they would not have immunity “wherever they are.”
Toward a New Security Order: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Strategic Realignment
The US hypocrisy and betrayal have compelled the Arab states to look for alternative alliances to strengthen their defense against Israeli and Western aggression. After the recent war between Pakistan and India, the former has emerged as a strong military power in the Muslim world. Moreover, Pakistan is also the sole nuclear power of the Muslim world. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a warm welcome in Qatar, where he attended a high-profile summit, reflecting Pakistan’s growing diplomatic and military stature in the region. Following the summit, he was also extended an invitation to visit Saudi Arabia, further underscoring Islamabad’s strengthening ties with key Gulf nations.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share historic military and strategic ties. Both countries reviewed their bilateral security ties during a meeting between the officials from both sides. Considering the escalating regional tensions, both sides have signed a “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement.” According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.”
This agreement is largely directed towards the increasing Israeli aggression in the Middle East. Under this agreement, Pakistan will defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any aggression from Israel. In addition, the Saudi government and military will also help Pakistan against any regional or foreign military aggression, providing the latter significant leverage over its regional rivals. In the recent summit in Doha, the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also urged the creation of an Arab-Islamic task force to counter the Israeli expansionist designs. In addition, he also urged the United Nations to permanently suspend Israel’s membership. These statements of the Pakistani Prime Minister reflect the country’s unwavering support for the Palestinians and the regional Arab and Muslim states.
The defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will not only enhance the latter’s security, but it will also strengthen Islamabad’s diplomatic and strategic outreach. Moreover, this agreement could also pave the way for a NATO-like Arab-Islamic defense mechanism against the rising threat from the Western proxy, Israel. Moreover, due to the recent betrayal by the United States, the Arab states have realized that they need to diversify their security partnership and engage with Eastern powers like Russia, China, Pakistan, and Turkey to ensure their sovereignty and security.
Аbbas Hashemite – is a political observer and research analyst for regional and global geopolitical issues. He is currently working as an independent researcher and journalist
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