Some would be reluctant to appear to be taking Israel’s side in the conflict.
Israel’s deadly and destructive offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas attacks of October 2023, as well as its military interventions in countries such as Lebanon and Syria, has increasingly strained relations with the Arabs. They were furious when it bombed Qatar last year in an attempt to assassinate Hamas leadership.
What’s clear is that Iran’s attacks have strengthened unity among the Gulf states
The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman – met in emergency session on Sunday to express solidarity and pledge to “take all necessary measures to defend their security and stability and to protect their territories, citizens, and residents, including the option of responding to the aggression.”
A senior diplomatic advisor to the Emirati president, Anwar Gargash, has urged Iran to come to its senses.
“Your war is not with your neighbours,” he wrote in a post on X. “Return to your surroundings, and deal with your neighbours with reason and responsibility before the circle of isolation and escalation widens.”