For decades, Arab public opinion has held a negative view of both Israel and Iran, widely regarding them as the primary sources of regional threat and instability. This perception has been rooted in the belief that both powers, in their pursuit of expanded influence, indirectly served each other’s agendas by fueling conflict in the Arab world. In contrast, Arab governments, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, traditionally prioritized their survival, focusing their threat assessments on geographically proximate dangers such as Iran, terrorism, and regional instability. However, a significant transformation is underway, with a US-backed Israel increasingly becoming the central figure in a more complex and broadened threat perception.

This shift is driven by Israel’s unrestricted regional military actions, which are perceived as fanatic and religiously motivated, coupled with what the Gulf states view as unreliable security guarantees from the United States. In this sense, the Israeli airstrike on Doha, Qatar in September 2025, marked a watershed moment, profoundly reshaping the threat perception for the GCC states. Traditionally, some GCC nations viewed Israel through a dual strategic lens; as a key to stronger relations with the United States, or as a potential tacit partner against the threat posed by Iran. Israel consistently leveraged these perceptions to advance its political interests in the Gulf and the wider Arab region. However, as the Arab Gulf countries have solidified their political influence in the US and Iran has weakened, the strategic necessity of a partnership with Israel has waned, rendering even tacit partnership with Tel Aviv unfavorable.

This evolving dynamic has been further amplified by Israel’s aggressive and expansionist agenda, which appears intent on reshaping the Middle East and........

© The Frontier Post (Editorial)