Arab-Isreal conflict

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 The Arab-Israel Conflict

The Arab-Israeli conflict has traditionally been

one of the most significant issues shaping Middle
Eastern politics. During the 1948-1978 period, there
was a great level of reticence on the part of the Arab
nations to engage with the State of Israel, due to the
lack of a viable resolution of the conflict between
Israel and Palestine.
Nevertheless, in recent times, there has been a
consistent effort to reverse the state of enmity
between the State of Israel and the Arab world and to
normalise diplomatic relations (Bickerton and
Klausner, 2017, p. 170).
 Research Objectives

This research will tackle the reasons that have led to the signing of a peace treaty between the State

of Israel and Egypt (1978), Jordan (1994); and, most recently, the “Abraham Accords,” which

normalised relations between the State of Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (2020).

• First, it seeks to identify the specific historical and political factors that led to the establishment of

diplomatic relations between Israel and several nations of the Arab world.

• Second, the research to be undertaken aims to understand the mechanisms that are responsible for

creating change in the regional dynamics of the Middle East and how these may be applied for the

purpose of creating a more fruitful relationship between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

• Third, this research project aims to find out the external and internal factors responsible for

prompting the recognition of the State of Israel by several Arab nations.

 Research Questions and Hypothesis
Research Questions

 First, in which way has the process of diplomatic normalisation that led to the recognition of the State of Israel been
influenced by the geopolitical stewardship of the United States?
 Second, is the recognition of the State of Israel by the Arab countries a phenomenon that attests to a relative high
level of disunity among the Arab nations?
 Third, does the recognition of the State of Israel by the Arab countries imply an abandonment of the quest for a
wider set of rights for the Palestinian people?
Hypothesis

The main hypothesis of this research project is that Egypt, Jordan as well as several other Arab countries have been
compelled to recognise the State of Israel in order to respond to the emerging conditions that emerged in the
international and regional order at specific historical junctures.
 Theoretical and Methodological Outline
The theoretical approach to be employed in this research project combines
conceptual elements of Realism and Constructivism.

 The Realist perspective to be applied in order to carry out the investigations pertaining to the
subject matter under study revolve around the importance of the survival of the state as the
prime factor that dictates the foreign policy implemented by national states (Morgenthau,
1992, p. 111).

 Constructivist theory. The methodology to be used in order to deal with the subject matter
under investigation will be based on a thematic approach. This means that the primary and
secondary sources to be examined as part of the research will be coded and classified
according to the themes that emerge from it
The research project’s Main Sections

 Chapter One: the general aspects linked to the subject under

investigation as well as the general aims of the work.

 The second chapter will outline a literature review on the

different aspects related to the different issues concerning the
overall scheme of Arab-Israeli relations.

 The third chapter will focus on the internal aspects linked to

the path towards the recognition of the State of Israel.

 The fourth chapter will deal with the external factors that
prompted the change in geopolitical circumstances in the
Middle East and the subsequent path towards the recognition
of the State of Israel by several Arab nations.

 Fifth Chapter: there will be a number of conclusions being put
forward in relation to the themes identified in the research and
their importance for the understanding of the evolution of the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
 Brief Literature Review

 According to Harkabi is that relations between the Arab countries and Israel have been informed by a “cognitive-evaluative component” that denotes the way in which

a particular geopolitical self-image is constructed (Harkaby, 2017, p. xvi).

 Shlaim highlights that the Arab countries erected an “Iron Wall” against the recognition of the State of Israel as a result of the need to maintain a modicum of political

legitimacy amongst their citizens. In this context, the change in the geopolitical approach of the Arab nations vis-à-vis the State of Israel may indicate the willingness to

respond to a new set of domestic circumstances, as evidenced by the events of the Arab Spring (Shlaim, 2015).

 Wojnarowicz states that, “the informal alliance between Israel and the Sunni monarchies will remain as long as the parties feel threatened by Iran’s rising power and

the destabilisation of the region. (Wojnarowicz, 2017, p. 2).

 Quamar states that, “the Arab Spring protests and the signing of the Iran nuclear deal brought the Arab Gulf States, namely the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,

Oman and Bahrain, closer to Israel. The shared security concerns vis-à-vis Iran, the changing US foreign policy priorities and growing external involvement in regional

affairs have generated a threat perception forcing the Arab Gulf states seek alliance with Israel” (Quamar, 2020, p. 1).
 Originality, Relevance and Timeframe
1. The originality of the research to be conducted lies in the emphasis placed on the examination of

the recognition of the State of Israel from the perspective of the systemic and domestic

circumstances that affect the regional order in the Middle East.

2. The relevance of this research project is rooted in the idea that regional orders evolve as a result of

the emerging circumstances related to specific historical juncture.

3. The timeframe for the completion of the research project is approximately ten months. During the

first three months, there will be a recollection of the empirical information pertaining to Arab-

Israeli relations.
 Bibliography
Amour, P. (2017) Israel, the Arab Spring, and the unfolding regional order in the Middle East: a strategic assessment, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 44(3), pp. 293-309
 
Bickerton, I. and Klausner, C. (2017) A History of the Arab–Israeli Conflict, Routledge, London
 
Donnelly, J. (2008) Realism and International Relations, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
 
Harkaby, Y. (2017) Arab Attitudes to Israel, Routledge, London
 
Hinton, C. (2004) Camp David Accords, Berwyn Heights, MD
 
Morgenthau, H. (1992) Politics Among Nations, McGraw-Hill, New York
 
Onuf, N. (2013) Making Sense, Making Worlds-Constructivism in Social Theory and International Relations, Routledge, London
 
Quamar, M. (2020) Changing regional geopolitics and the foundations of a rapprochement between Arab Gulf and Israel, Global Affairs, pp. 1-16
 
Quandt, W. (1988) The Middle East-Ten Years After Camp David, Brookings Institution Press, Washington, DC
 
Shlaim, A. (2015) The Iron Wall-Israel and the Arab World, Penguin, London
 
Slater, J. (2020) Mythologies Without End-The US, Israel, and the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1917-2020, Oxford University Press, Oxford
 
Stein, K. (1999) Heroic Diplomacy-Sadat, Kissinger, Carter, Begin, and the Quest for Arab–Israeli Peace, Taylor & Francis, London
 
Telhami, S. (1990) Power and Leadership in International Bargaining-The Path to the Camp David Accords, Columbia University Press, New York, NY
 
Wojnarowicz, M. (2017) Israel and the Gulf States—The Nature of Secret Cooperation, The Polish Institute of International Affairs, Warsaw, pp. 1-2
 
Zehfuss, M. (2002) Constructivism in International Relations-The Politics of Reality, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge