How war with Iran brought Israel closer to its Middle East neighbors – analysis

Amidst ongoing confrontation between Washington and Tehran, a series of diplomatic engagements are fostering new regional arrangements. On July 28, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met to discuss the current war with Iran. Concurrently, Israeli and Lebanese representatives are set to resume US-mediated border talks on August 4, focusing on withdrawals and proposed "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon.

• Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated on July 26 that Damascus is working towards a security agreement with Israel, aiming for comprehensive peace without relinquishing claims to the Golan Heights. Dr. Nir Boms noted, "I think there is pragmatism involved in the Syrian policy."
• On the same day, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa held their first publicly disclosed call since October 7, discussing bilateral relations and the Abraham Accords.
• New uncertainty surrounds Saudi Arabia, as Trump conditioned a civil nuclear cooperation agreement on Saudi normalization with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords, which Saudi Arabia links to Palestinian statehood.

Experts offer varied assessments, with some viewing these moves as a genuine opening, while others see them as limited security adjustments or temporary responses to the unresolved conflict.