Something curious is happening. I first noticed it last September in London at a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu where he made the intriguing point that security cooperation with certain Sunni Arab States was closer than ever. I detected a distinct twinkle in his eye when he said that relations had never been better.

Over the last few months this has become a mantra that I’ve heard surprisingly often, repeated like a soothing yogic chant by senior officials, to protect against the wider regional chaos. Indeed Israel is a founding member of the new Middle East club that is threatened both by Iran and Jihadi terrorism as well as alarmed by the US’s fading role in the region.

At a recent seminar with Israeli security figures this was discussed at great length. There are differing views as to the exact significance of these developments. Is it a short-term period of heightened security cooperation based on common interests or the start of a long-term shift that could change Israel’s strategic alliances in the Middle East forever?

Read the full article at Times of Israel.