Israel-Saudi Peace Talks Collapse Amid Hamas Attacks, Iran’s Role in Mideast Turmoil Exposed
On October 6, 2023, optimism was high in Israel. Saudi Arabia appeared on the brink of normalizing relations with Israel, a historic move that would have transformed its relationship with the Arab world.
The agreement, which would include trade, tourism, and security provisions, was set to expand the Abraham Accords, further strengthening ties with the United States and isolating Iran.
A column in The Times of Israel captured the mood, noting, “Every day seems to bring a new advance in the fast-moving American effort to build a Saudi-Israeli alliance in the Middle East.” The columnist added that if the deal were finalized, both countries would have Tehran to thank for bringing them together.
In late September 2023, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed confidence in the progress, telling Fox News that “We’re getting closer to peace every day.” By early October, an Israeli government minister was even seen celebrating Sukkot in Riyadh, an unthinkable scenario just a few years prior.
However, the looming threat of Iran and its terror proxies became apparent. Iran, which has long opposed Israel, seemed determined to derail the normalization process. Their strategy became evident on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel from Gaza, slaughtering 1,200 Israelis, most of them civilians. The horrific attacks included widespread rape, torture, and the burning alive of entire families on kibbutzim.
The Palestinian militants also took 250 hostages, dragging them back to Gaza with the hopes of trading them for survival in the war they had ignited. The attack, the deadliest since the Holocaust, sent shockwaves throughout Israel and the world. It was compared to 9/11 in terms of its impact, with one commentator calling it “a day of infamy.”
The massacre also caused a dramatic shift in diplomatic efforts. Saudi Arabia promptly suspended talks with Israel, insisting that any deal must now include a pathway to the establishment of a Palestinian state. What had been a promising prospect for Middle East peace was swiftly undone by the Hamas attack.
In the year since the attack, the landscape has changed dramatically. Israel has launched a sustained campaign to decimate Hamas, flattening large portions of Gaza and significantly weakening the militant group’s fighting force. Despite the progress, nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza, with around a third of them believed to have died.
The conflict has expanded beyond Gaza, with Hezbollah launching over 8,000 rockets, missiles, and drones from Lebanon. This barrage has driven some 60,000 Israelis from their homes near the northern border.
In response, Israel has eliminated numerous Hezbollah leaders and diminished their arsenal.
Israel’s military operations have been marked by extraordinary feats, including the use of technological warfare. In one instance, Israeli forces remotely detonated explosives embedded in the beepers of Hezbollah fighters and commanders, killing scores in a display of military innovation.
Meanwhile, Iran’s other proxies, including the Houthis in Yemen, have launched attacks on Israel and commercial ships in the Red Sea. The conflict has also spread to the West Bank, where Iranian-backed agents have provoked more violence, opening another front in the war to destroy Israel.
The stakes have escalated, with direct military exchanges between Israel and Iran raising fears of a broader conflict that could lead to World War III. The Biden administration’s response has been marked by a mix of strong initial support for Israel and subsequent criticism.
President Biden’s early visit to Israel showcased solidarity, but his administration later began to place restrictions on Israeli military actions, fearing further escalation.
Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren criticized the U.S. for restricting Israel’s military options, noting that the constraints allow Israel’s enemies to continue their attacks while limiting its ability to respond. This hesitation reflects a deep concern within the White House about sparking a larger conflict that could draw in more regional and global powers.
Compounding the issue, Biden’s administration has rolled back sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, freeing up billions of dollars that are now being funneled into Iran’s military and its support for groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Critics argue that this policy has emboldened Iran and enabled its aggressions against Israel.
European leaders have also taken controversial stances. Many have criticized Israel’s military response, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling for an arms embargo on Israel. Such moves have raised questions about the West’s commitment to Israel, especially given the growing threat posed by Iran and its proxies.
The impact of the conflict has not been limited to the Middle East. The October 7 attacks have triggered a shocking rise in antisemitism in the United States and Europe.
Elite college campuses, once considered safe spaces for Jewish students, have seen an outpouring of support for Hamas and a lack of concern for the Israeli victims of the attacks.
In response, some prominent university administrators have been fired, and donors have withdrawn funding from institutions that failed to protect Jewish students. However, many universities have struggled to effectively address the rise in antisemitic sentiment on their campuses.
The ideological battle has been fueled by a growing anti-Zionist movement, which some experts argue is simply a new form of antisemitism. The late British Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks once warned that antisemitism is a virus that mutates, allowing new generations of antisemites to deny their bigotry.
He described the shift from hatred of Jews for their religion, to their race, and now to their nation-state, Israel.
In the wake of the October 7 attacks, the world has been forced to confront not only the ongoing violence in the Middle East but also the ideological war playing out on the streets and campuses of the West. For Israel, the battle continues on multiple fronts as it fights for survival in a region and a world that is increasingly hostile to its existence.
