Israel, Iran: Now is the time to test if détente can be reached – opinion

The last few months have witnessed a dramatic shift in the geopolitical balance of the Middle East. Normalization between Israel and multiple Arab states has altered the heart of the historic regional power competition. Much of this change is being driven by is a desire by the relevant countries to unite against Iran. More specifically, the new détente is aimed at presenting a united front to the Biden administration, which is currently formulating its policy for how best to contain the Islamic Republic’s disruptive regional activities and most of all its nuclear ambitions.

The normalization processes are deeply significant to the balance between Israel and Iran. It may take a generation for anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric in the Arab and Islamic worlds to disappear, however the myth of the monolithic Arab/Islamic voice has been forever shattered. While future disputes on regional issues – including engagement with the Palestinians – might arise, the Abraham Accords acknowledge that Israel is here to stay.

And as counterintuitive – or even heretical – as it might sound, this is the very moment when Israel and Iran could arrive at a cessation of hostilities. Why?

Read on The Jerusalem Post

Photo by Presidency of Iran / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

معهد الشرق الأوسط (MEI) هو منظمة تعليمية مستقلة وغير حزبية وغير ربحية. لا يشارك المعهد في أي أنشطة دعوية، وآراء الباحثين فيه تعبر عن آرائهم الشخصية. يرحب المعهد بالتبرعات المالية، لكنه يحتفظ بالسيطرة التحريرية الكاملة على أعماله، ولا تعكس منشوراته سوى آراء المؤلفين. للاطلاع على قائمة المتبرعين للمعهد، يرجى النقر هنا.