The Arab Gulf Countries And the Arab- Israeli Conflict

142 Pages·2014·5.63 MB·English

Durham E-Theses
The Arab Gulf countries and the Arab- Israeli con(cid:29)ict;:
the linkages and dynamics (1970-2000)
El-Hamad, Jawad M. A.
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2
The Arab Gulf Countries
And the Arab- Israeli Conflict:
The linkages and dynamics
(1970-2000)
By
Jawad M. A. EI ... Hamad
Thesis for
M.A. Degree
University of Durham
Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
A copyright of this thesis rests
with the author. No quotation
from it should be published
withoant !his prior written consent
andl information derived from it
should be acknowledged.
2004
2 1 ~EP 2005
Abstract:
The Arab Gulf Countries and the Arab-Israeli Conflict:
The Linkages and Dynamics 1970-2000
Jawad M.A. El-Hamad
This thesis examines the changing linkages and dynamics of the relationship
between the Arab Gulf countries and the Arab-Israeli cont1ict through the period of
1970-2000. The Arab Gulf countries' level of involvement in suppmiing the Arabs and
Palestinians in the Arab-Israeli conflict diminished throughout the period of study. The
thesis explains this diminishing role by discussing the impact of the developments of
international struggle for influence in the Gulf as well as the Israeli ambitions and
relations to the Gulf region, largely expressed through the Israeli relationship with Iran
under the Shah. The thesis shows that the years 1973, 1979 and 1990 formed important
turning points for international influence in the region. These turning points influenced
on the level of the Arab Gulf countries' involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Throughout the seventies, the Arab Gulf countries played an active role m
supporting the Arab side in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The clearest expression of this
support was the implementation of the oil embargo against the West during the October
1973 War.
The eighties witnessed the birth of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the
formation of which symbolized the emerging security challenges within the Gulf region.
These security challenges represented by the Iranian Revolution, the Iran-Iraq war and
the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan exhausted most of the capabilities
and efforts of the Arab Gulf countries. Their focus and attention shifted away from the
Arab-Israeli conflict, in spite of the serious and dramatic developments in that conflict.
The repercussions of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 resulted in a fUJther
diminishment of the role of the Arab Gulf countries in backing the Palestinians in the
Arab-Israeli conflict. Only after September 2000 and the beginning of the Second
Palestinian Intifada did the Arab Gulf countries again play a vital role, by means of
financial, political and media support.
The thesis explains the linkages between security in the Gulf and the Arab
Israeli conflict. It examines the hypothesis that a reciprocal relationship explaining the
level and type of Arab Gulf countries involvement in the Arab-Israeli conf1ict has
existed throughout the period of the study.
The Arab Gulf Countries
And the Arab- Israeli Conjlicto
0
The linkages and dynamics
(1970~2000)
By
Jawad M. A. ElmHamad
Thesis for
M.A. Degree
University of Durham
Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
2004.
Contents
Introduction 5
Chapter One
International Interests and Competition for Influence in the Gulf
Region 8
1-1 The economic and strategic importance of the Gulf 12
1-2 The West and the Gulf region 14
1-3 The Soviet Union and the Gulf region 20
1-4 The stages of international competition for influence in the
21
Gulf region
Chapter Two
Israel and the Arabian Gulf 34
2-1 Early Zionist and Israeli ambitions in the Gulf region 35
2-2 Iran under the Shah, and Israeli ambitions 37
2-3 Israel and Gulf security in the Aftermath of the Iranian 56
Revolution
Chapter Three
Developments of the linkages and role of the Arab Gulf
66
countries' in the Arab-Israeli Conflict
3-1 Ideological and strategic principles 66
3-2 The variables affecting the policies of the Arab Gulf 70
Countries
3-3 The Dynamics and Limits of Arab Gulf Countries' policies 105
The Conclusion 112
Appendi'C 117
Bibliography 127
2
Declaration
I, Jawad M.A. El-Hamad, the author of this research study declare
that the content of this thesis is the original work of the author. None of the
material contained in this study has been submitted for a degree in this or
any other University.
3
Statement of Copyright
The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it
should be published without prior written consent, and information derived
from it should be acknowledged.
4
Introduction
The hypothesis of the thesis a11d its importance
Tllis thesis examines the linkages and dynamics of the relationship between the
Arab Gulf states and the Arab-Israeli coni1ict. It argues that there is a reciprocal
relationship, whereby the policies of the Arab Gulf states and the role that they play in
the Arab-Israeli conflict are themselves shaped in part by the conflict. They are also
shaped by the security concerns of the Arab Gulf states that arise from international
competition for influence over the Gulf and the pursuit of Israeli ambitions towards the
Gulf region.
This study is the first to deal so directly with the reciprocity between the Arab
Gulf states and the Arab-Israeli coni1ict, and which focuses so intently on the role that
Arabian Gulf security plays in determining that reciprocity.
This thesis adopts the historic survey and descriptive analysis approach. It
analyzes the nature of the relationsrup between the two arenas by examining both the
impact of historical developments in each arena and how factors internal to each arena
impact upon the relationship with the other. Crucially, it takes into account the
geopolitical position of the Arabian Gulf, examining it in effect as the periphery of the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
Period of the Study
The principal period of study for the thesis will be the three decades from 1970
to 2000. The beginning of this period coincides with the political independence of most
of the Arab Gulf countries. The Gulf region was challenged with its own heavy security
burdens during this period, though the nature of those security challenges changed in
each decade. A large part of Gulf security concerns are related to the economic potential
of the region, which is due to their extensive oil resources. The jump in the price of oil
and its subsequent price collapse also happened during this period. This period also
witnessed important developments in the Arab-Israeli conflict, both in terms of peace
and war. The most effective developments regarding the level to which the Arab Gulf
States worked to retain Arab rights and defend their dignity in the Arab-Israeli conflict
were also expressed during this period. This period thus witnessed great developments
as well as great challenges to the Arab Gulf States in the economic, political, and
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security realms, as well as regarding their interactions with the Arab-Israeli conflict..
This is thus a convenient period to study regarding the aims and questions of the
hypothesis. However, the complexity of the subject means that, at times, the thesis must
delve further into the past to provide relevant context, and venture beyond 2000 in order
to illustrate consequences of events. No period of time exists in isolation and so, while
the main emphasis is on the period 1970-2000, the author has not attempted to extract
this period from its greater historical context.
Outline of the Chapters
Each of the three chapters of the thesis deals with impotiant aspects needed to
examine the validity of the hypothesis.
The first chapter discusses the potential importance of the Gulf region, and then
illustrates the extent to which international competition for influence over the region has
served to shape its policies. It revealed the goals and policies of the international
superpowers towards the Gulf in tllis regard. It also illustrated the repercussions that
such competition has had on the security of the Arab Gulf countries, or at least how they
have perceived it to have impacted upon them. These perceptions of security interests
have played a role in shaping Arab Gulf policies towards different challenges including
the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The second chapter discusses Israeli ambitions in the region. It explores in detail
the Israeli efforts to consolidate relations with the Shah of Iran. The chapter
emphasized the critical role that Israeli ambitions played in affecting the Arab Gulf
countries' security and how the increase in security concerns in this regard affected their
role and interaction with the Arab-Israeli conflict. These ambitions represented a
security threat to the Arab Gulf countries during different stages. The chapter unveils
the potential reciprocal relations between the Arab-Israeli conflict and security in the
Gulf through its analysis of Israel's relations with Iran and other Israeli policies towards
the Gulf region.
The third and tinal chapter shows how the Arab Gulf countries' linkage and
dynamics towards the Arab Israeli conflict developed through the period of study. It
also presents the development of their role in the Arab-Israeli conf1ict based on different
factors through such dynamics.
In the third chapter, the thesis draws together the relative issues and components
of the changing dynamics of the Arab Gulf countries' engagement in the Arab-Israeli
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