Geopolitics in the Middle East: Enemy’s enemy is an ally or another enemy? (1)

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http://ocininitiative.maeda1.jp/202010AllyOrEnemyInMeEnglish.pdf

1.   The modern Middle East where enemies and allies are commingled

 

In Middle East many conflicts took place in the past. Conflicts between Israel and Arabs are typical one. Although the recent peace agreements between Israel and two Gulf monarchies, UAE and Bahrain, were concluded but many other disputes occurred nowadays.

 

In religious ground Shi’a Iran and Sunni Arabs blame each other. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar over the dispute of the Muslim Brotherhood. All of them are Sunni countries. Civil wars in Libya and Yemen were not over yet. It looks like the proxy fight between regional big powers like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt.

 

Recently, demarcation of EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) on the continental shelf or laying gas pipeline in the eastern Mediterranean become a hot topic. There are many other humanitarian issues; the Kurdish independence has a long history, and Syrian civil war resulted in the influx of refugees into the EU. Another problem threatens regional stability; Turkey is shaking over NATO and EU which are the core aspect of Western Europe and the Middle East after World War II in terms of politics, defense and economy.

 

(cont’d)

 

By Areha Kazuya

E-mail: Arehakazuya1@gmail.com