'We have a common enemy in Iran': Gulf journalists speak to i24NEWS during visit to Israel

The recent conflict between Israel and Iran has prompted Gulf Arab states to reassess decades of policy toward both Tehran and Jerusalem, with some influential voices in the region now viewing Israel as a strategic partner against what they see as their primary security threat: Iran.

Speaking to i24NEWS during a visit to Israel, prominent Saudi journalist Abdulaziz Alkhamis and Bahraini journalist Ahdeya Ahmed Al-Sayed said Iran's direct attacks on Gulf states have fundamentally altered regional perceptions and could eventually pave the way for broader normalization with Israel.

The two journalists visited Israel to attend the MUNI EXPO in Tel Aviv and participated in a panel hosted by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs examining how the Iran war has affected relations between Israel and Gulf Arab states.

"We need to join and combine our efforts together," Al-Sayed said. "We have a common enemy, and this enemy is not a theory anymore. It's not proxies anymore. Iran actually directly attacked Gulf states with its ballistic missiles and drones, just as it attacked Israel and Jordan."

"I believe the future of the region revolves around different alliances and different relations," she added. "Israel will have a role to play in the coming years, including with other countries joining the Abraham Accords."

Alkhamis argued that despite official rhetoric in some capitals, many Arab governments privately welcomed Israel's military campaign against Iran and its proxies.

"There are double standards," he said. "Some countries are brave enough to say Israel did a very good job in this war and wanted Israel to continue. Others claim Israel dragged them into the conflict, but nobody believes that."

Asked why countries such as Saudi Arabia have yet to normalize relations with Israel, Alkhamis said the Palestinian issue continues to serve as the primary obstacle.

"They use the Palestinian cause as a reason," he said. Still, he argued that delaying normalization has come at an economic cost.

"If Saudi Arabia had signed a deal with Israel and not allowed October 7 and the Iranian proxies like Hamas to destroy those relations, major projects such as NEOM would not have been disrupted," Alkhamis said. "Investors would have had greater confidence in the Saudi economy."

Al-Sayed agreed that while regional cooperation is increasingly necessary, any long-term normalization will ultimately require progress on the Palestinian issue.

"This is an issue that has existed for 78 years," she said. "It is deeply rooted in Gulf countries. It cannot simply be erased. It has to be addressed."

She added that a credible pathway toward a two-state solution could help Gulf governments build broader public acceptance of ties with Israel.

"If the Gulf countries reach an understanding with Israel about the two-state solution, there will be countries that will guide their people to accept Israel as a neighbor in the region," she said.

Both journalists also rejected claims that Israel is the primary source of instability in the Middle East, despite recent comments by Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

"The main source of instability in the region is not Israel," Alkhamis said. "It is extremism, and those countries that support extremists and their barbaric actions like October 7—especially Iran."

The pair also expressed skepticism over ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations aimed at formalizing a ceasefire following the recent conflict, warning that any agreement could strengthen Tehran.

"We always know Iran is the one attacking us," Alkhamis said. "If this deal goes through, Iran will come back stronger than before."

The journalists praised the Abraham Accords, describing them as proof that cooperation between Israel and Arab states benefits both sides.

"The Abraham Accords send a very strong message that peace is the solution," Alkhamis said. "The countries that signed have benefited tremendously—in technology, the economy, politics and security."

Al-Sayed echoed that sentiment.

"I'm very proud of the relations that Israel has with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates," she said. "I sincerely hope more countries will join the Abraham Accords if we want a more stable region."

Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, said many governments across the Arab world quietly support Israel's efforts to weaken Iran, even if they cannot publicly express that support.

"Israel stands alone publicly," Diker said, "but it has very quiet, even embarrassed, cheerleaders across the Arab world."

He argued that Israel now has an opportunity to build new regional partnerships while Gulf countries reassess decades of accommodation toward Iran.

"As Gulf Arab countries revisit decades of appeasement of Iran and distancing themselves from Israel, it is very possible that Israel will find itself partnering with countries that until now avoided any public affiliation," Diker said.

"The ball is now in Israel's court—whether it embraces this historic moment or once again allows Iran to dictate relationships in a rapidly changing Middle East."