Israeli Magazine: Saudi–Emirati Rift Disrupts Tel Aviv’s Regional Calculations
+972: Abu Dhabi Uses Normalization as a Tool of Influence… Riyadh Remains Silent as the UAE Moves in Israel’s Favor
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The Hebrew-language outlet +972 Magazine revealed in a recent analytical report that tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are not new, but rather rooted in longstanding differences. However, the war in Yemen has deepened these divisions, shifting them from the economic sphere into what it described as an open “war of narratives” between the two sides.
The magazine explained that the military confrontation in Yemen exposed strategic divergences between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, weakening what it termed the “solid front” that both Israel and the United States had relied upon to reshape the region’s balance of power.
Fracturing Traditional Alliances
According to the report, the unraveling of the Saudi–Emirati alliance reflects a broader transformation in the nature of regional alignments, which are no longer grounded in fixed political constants but are increasingly driven by shifting interests.
The magazine argued that this rift places Tel Aviv before a new equation, particularly given its previous reliance on cohesive regional coordination to counter adversarial forces in the region.
Maritime Influence and Geopolitical Competition
+972 Magazine noted that the UAE’s geopolitical and maritime interests — especially around the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea — have contributed to creating extended tension points, particularly as these moves intersect with long-term influence struggles along Saudi borders.
It suggested that Abu Dhabi has sought to consolidate its maritime and commercial presence as part of a broader project to enhance its regional standing, even if this has come at the expense of traditional coordination with Riyadh.
Normalization as a Strategic Differentiator
In a notable assessment, the magazine stated that the UAE uses normalization with Israel as a strategic differentiator to bolster its position with the West. It pointed to what it described as four instances in which Abu Dhabi appeared to act on Israel’s behalf regarding the Gaza file.
The report added that these moves passed with little comment from Saudi Arabia, suggesting that this silence may be deliberate, particularly given the convergence of Saudi and Emirati positions in rejecting any future role for Hamas in the Palestinian political landscape.
A Region Driven by Interests, Not Alliances
The magazine concluded by asserting that the Middle East is undergoing a phase of restructuring, in which fixed alliances are receding in favor of flexible and shifting networks of interests. It argued that the Saudi–Emirati dispute not only reshapes the regional balance of power but also repositions Israel within a new, highly fluid regional equation.
