Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, is in Israel for the fifth time during his term as chairman.
According to the Defense Department, Gen. Dempsey’s visit shows “America’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.”
Millions of refugees from Syria’s civil war are straining resources in Jordan and Turkey and there is the threat that the conflict could spill over Syria’s borders. Insurgents continue attacks in Iraq. Egypt – the largest Arab nation – is going through its own political transition. Iran is negotiating over its nuclear program while continuing to support terror groups including Hezbollah that threaten Israel.
The chairman will also touch on global issues with this close American ally including the situation in Ukraine and efforts to get Russia to de-escalate the situation there.
Aside from the usual pleasantries, Gen. Dempsey made a rather unexpected comment.
Emerging from meetings with his Israeli counterparts on Monday, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that discussions included “an outreach to other partners who may not have been willing to be partners in the past.”
He added, “What I mean is the Gulf states in particular, who heretofore may not have been as open-minded to the potential for cooperation with Israel, in any way.” While General Dempsey did not go into specifics, other American military officials said that possibilities include intelligence-sharing, joint counterterrorism exercises and perhaps looking for how Israeli and Saudi troops could jointly work on the training of Syrian opposition fighters.
The surprising nature of the remarks was underscored by an anonymous official, who asserted regarding Israel and the Gulf States, “there’s a convergence of agreement between them, and in opposition to what we’re doing.”
For some time the apparent American shift towards the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran has led analysts to speculate about a possible alliance between Israel and the Gulf states. There have been overt signs of such a rapprochement was occurring. That America’s top general would observe this, especially after President Obama’s contentious trip to Saudi Arabia, is surprising.
Jonathan Spyer provided an in-depth look at the shifting alliances in the Middle East in the January 2014 issue of The Tower Magazine.