Officials in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain made it clear over the weekend that the Persian Gulf states' support for the re-election of US President Donald Trump extends to encouraging moderate Muslims in the US to vote for him, despite the fact that traditionally they do not support the conservative Republican Party.
"We have one eye on the US election. We hope for a Trump victory, but we are also preparing for the possibility of a new president entering the Oval Office," a senior Emirate diplomat told Israel Hayom.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
A senior official in the Bahraini capital of Manama, who is close to government circles in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, also confirmed to Israel Hayom that the moderate Sunni states are concerned that Trump will be defeated and that his rival, Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden will pursue changes in US policy in the Middle East.
"There are preparations in case the administration changes and the [new] administration's policy in the Middle East changes completely," he said.
"Nevertheless, neither scenario is expected to affect the agreements signed so far with Israel," he stressed. "In fact, a Biden victory may pave the way for a stronger alliance with Israel, with the understanding that we are dependent on one another and therefore we don't need constant backing from the Americans."
The Bahraini official added that although there are no plans for additional normalization deals between Gulf states and Israel by Nov. 3, such negotiations are ongoing.
"Talks with other countries in an effort to have them normalize their relations with Israel continue all the time, but if there is an agreement, it will be implemented only after the US election and in accordance with who wins them.
"If Trump wins, there will be a flood of moderate Arab and Muslim countries that are very interested in taking part in the Middle East [peace] process," he continued. "A Biden victory will see many of the countries that are currently exploring the possibility of normalizing relations [with Israel] take a step back and rethink the risk they are taking.
"The current level of interests in the region is that Israel and the United States are mediating between Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE over the Gulf crisis," he noted, referring to the fact that in mid-2017 these countries, as well as Yemen and the Maldives, severed all diplomatic ties with Qatar, citing its close ties with Iran and support of Islamic terrorist groups.
The senior Arab diplomat also referred to recent reports about the possibility that Saudi Arabia would normalize its relations with Israel before the US election, as part of its strategy to boost Trump's re-election campaign, as well as its desire to "establish facts on the ground" in case Trump is defeated.
"These speculations are hollow. There is nothing behind them and whoever is touting them understands nothing in regional politics," he stated.
"Saudi Arabia supports the Abraham Accords and encourages other countries to take part in the process - but Riyadh also has its own set of very clear considerations, and the Palestinian issue is a key factor.
"Saudi Arabia will not renounce the Arab peace initiative it has conceived [in 2002] so quickly. The agreement with Saudi Arabia will come, but in its own time," he said.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
