Gulf nations commit to enhanced missile defense coordination following Israeli attack in Qatar
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has announced its intention to boost defense ties between member states, following an emergency meeting convened in Doha to discuss next steps after the Israeli strike on Hamas targets in Qatar.
During the emergency meeting, the GCC's Joint Defense Council issued a statement, asserting that the security of the GCC states is indivisible. However, some analysts have questioned the reliability of the US as a defense partner for the Gulf, given the perceived conditional and politically volatile nature of US protection.
Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and Rashid Al Mohannadi, a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, have both expressed concerns about the US's reliability. They suggest that the Israeli strike has caused Gulf nations to question their allyship with the US, an assertion that Ajami agrees with, stating that the Israeli strikes have amplified Gulf doubts about the US.
The recent attacks have intensified debates on collective Gulf security, exposing critical air and missile defense gaps. In response, a special session of the GCC's Joint Defense Council has made five pledges, including increasing intelligence sharing, increasing image sharing, accelerating work on early warning systems, updating defense plans, and conducting joint exercises.
Regional reports suggest that Arab nations could be considering even closer defense ties in a NATO-like structure. However, analysts have suggested that the step towards a formal Arab-NATO would be unlikely.
The GCC is made up of six states: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman. All member nations are currently participating in discussions to strengthen defense cooperation in response to the Israeli strike on Hamas targets in Qatar, emphasizing joint defense measures and intelligence sharing under the GCC framework.
The council condemned the Israeli strike in the strongest terms during the emergency meeting. The US's political will to restrain Israel is questioned by some analysts, adding to the Gulf nations' concerns about their defense partnership with the US.
Today's announcement from the GCC could move these ties towards practical implementation, as the Gulf states seek to bolster their collective security in the face of external threats. The development comes at a time when the region is grappling with complex geopolitical challenges, underscoring the need for stronger regional defense cooperation.
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