The recent Hamas attack on Israel was first addressed on my other website, www.jamesamccoyjr.com… There, I discussed the sudden increase in Hamas’ capabilities and strongly suggested that Iran was involved. I also brought up the timing and motivation behind the attack. Biden now has the same thoughts…. There’s more to it than just Hamas decided to launch some missiles that day.
The short version is that Hamas (Iran/Hezbollah?) saw a historic, perhaps region altering deal, that could put Saudi Arabia and even Israel in stronger positions. Hamas is no match for Israel in a war – this was a suicide mission – unless surrounding states scrapped their deals with Israel. The attack was meant to bring a massive retaliation that would turn Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and others against Israel. It doesn’t seem to be working that way. …
In a recent statement, President Joe Biden expressed his belief that Hamas’ decision to attack Israel was influenced by their intent to prevent Israel from formalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.
He remarked at a campaign fundraiser, “Hamas targeted Israel because they were aware of my imminent discussions with the Saudis.” Biden went on to explain that he believes the assault on October 7th was a reaction to Saudi Arabia’s inclinations towards recognizing Israel.
This potential recognition would mark a significant change in the geopolitical landscape, as Jerusalem and Riyadh have been progressively moving towards normalization. The Biden administration had been actively involved in mediating and fostering this potential alliance, with a notable mention of a collaborative shipping corridor announced at the Group of 20 summit in India.
During a meeting at the U.N. General Assembly in September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed to Biden his optimism regarding the possibility of a historic peace accord between Israel and Saudi Arabia under the latter’s leadership.
However, Saudi Arabia’s anticipated recognition came with conditions – assurances and an enhancement of rights for Palestinian interests in any overarching deal with Israel. This recognition would have been groundbreaking, possibly prompting other Arab and Muslim-majority nations, which have predominantly been antagonistic towards Israel since its inception in territory populated by Palestinians, to reconsider their stance.
This trajectory was abruptly halted when Hamas militants launched an attack from the Gaza Strip, spilling into adjacent Israeli towns on October 7th. This offensive, tragically timed with a significant Jewish holiday, escalated tensions with Israel retaliating via airstrikes. The conflict has resulted in the death of 1,400 Israelis and 4,137 Palestinians. Moreover, post the initial onslaught, Hamas has taken over 200 individuals hostage.
The initiative for normalization, labeled the Abraham Accords, was initiated during the tenure of former President Donald Trump. The objective was to bring about a transformative change in the region and elevate Israel’s diplomatic status. However, detractors of this initiative argue that it overlooks Palestinian aspirations for an independent state.
Post the attacks by Hamas, Secretary of State Antony Blinken posited that the motivations behind the group’s actions might be linked to derailing U.S. endeavors to solidify diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
A successful agreement between Jerusalem and Riyadh would undeniably be a monumental achievement, adding to the legacies of Biden, Netanyahu, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In light of covert meetings between Saudi Arabia and Israel, these attacks underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of Middle Eastern politics, where clandestine dialogues can often have far-reaching public consequences.
