A recent Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, Qatar, included the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), comprising 57 Muslim countries. The summit was convened after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar with airstrikes on September 9th. Despite numerous OIC meetings, including three in the past year, criticism of Israel has remained largely symbolic. A key reason for Israel’s perceived lack of fear stems from its strategic agreements with several Muslim nations.
Azerbaijan is a major oil supplier to Israel, providing 60% of its oil needs and signed a gas exploration agreement in March 2025. In October 2023, during the Hamas-Israel war, Azerbaijan played a crucial role in fulfilling Israel’s energy requirements when ports were closed.
The Abraham Accords, signed in September 2020, saw the UAE become the first Arab nation to recognize Israel, followed by Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Bilateral trade between the UAE and Israel increased in 2024, with Israel sourcing 10% of its petroleum products from the UAE. The two nations have fostered extensive cooperation in tourism, education, health, trade, and security. However, the UAE has cautioned that the Abraham Accords could be jeopardized by plans for West Bank occupation following the Gaza war.
The natural gas agreement between Egypt and Israel is critical for both countries’ energy security. Gas from Israel’s Leviathan and Tamar gas fields is transported through Egyptian LNG terminals to Europe. The Dolphin agreement, established in 2018, allows Israel to receive natural gas from Egypt, generating billions of dollars annually. Both nations are working towards becoming an energy hub through gas pipeline infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia faces challenges from the Houthi rebels, who have been active in Yemen since 2014 and regularly launch attacks on Saudi Arabia. A weakened Israel could embolden Iran and strengthen the Houthi group. Saudi Arabia views Israel’s presence as a deterrent to Iranian expansionism. Houthi attacks on Saudi oil depots have impacted the global oil market. Israel conducts ongoing attacks on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The absence of Israel could exacerbate Saudi Arabia’s difficulties.
Turkey, despite severing trade ties with Israel due to the Gaza war in May 2024, still maintains an active embassy in Tel Aviv. Trade continues behind the scenes, facilitated by Turkish companies via third countries like Georgia and Armenia. This trade reached $1.2 billion in 2024. Turkey, a NATO member, has long-standing defense ties with Israel, and has a Jewish population of 26,000. While the Erdogan government publicly supports Palestine, it maintains relations with Israel for commercial interests.
The United States plays a complex role in the establishment of relations between Pakistan and Israel. While the US desires greater recognition of Israel by Muslim countries, a significant portion of the Pakistani population supports Palestine. Pakistan, reliant on US economic and military aid, faces a dilemma. It faces US pressure concerning IMF loans and aid, compounded by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Public opposition within Pakistan could result if Israel is recognized, hence, Pakistan has not made any decision thus far.
