‘New Mideast’: Syria’s rapprochement with Arab neighbors leaves Israel jittery

Concerns have mounted in Tel Aviv over the rapprochement between Syria and several Arab states after years of tension and hostilities, according to Israeli media.

Hebrew-language daily Maariv described the wave of rapprochement between Syria and its Arab neighbors as the "New Middle East", referring to Saudi Arabia's plan to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to attend the Arab League summit in Riyadh in May.

The newspaper said Assad's participation in the summit would constitute "a significant development" in the resumption of ties between Damascus and other Arab states, noting that "it reflects a change in the regional position towards Syria", as reported by Russia's RT news channel.

Some Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, severed diplomatic ties with Damascus following the eruption of foreign-backed militancy in Syria in 2011.

The Arab League also suspended Syria’s membership in November 2011, citing an alleged crackdown by Damascus on opposition protests.

Syria, one of the six founding members of the Arab League in 1945, denounced the move as “illegal and a violation of the organization’s charter.”

Saudi Arabia to invite Syria's Assad to Arab League summit next month

Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to an Arab League summit hosted by Riyadh next month.

Maariv also commented on Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad's visit to the Egyptian capital of Cairo, the first in over a decade, saying the high-stakes trip was aimed at laying the ground for the return of Syria to the Cairo-based 22-member Arab League.

Mekdad's meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo on Saturday came amid growing Arab engagement with the Syrian government. The two top diplomats discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations as well as the latest regional and international developments.

The Syrian president also visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for an official visit in late March, amid a thaw in relations between Syria and the rest of the Arab world.

Heading a Syrian delegation, Assad, accompanied by his wife Asma al-Assad, was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan upon his arrival at the presidential airport in Abu Dhabi..

Israel Hayom newspaper also said that inviting Assad to the Arab League summit comes as part of a big change in Saudi Arabia's foreign policy that would boost its ties with China and comes after Riyadh's recent resumption of diplomatic ties with Iran.

Last month, Riyadh and Damascus reached an agreement to reopen their embassies and resume consular services after the holy month of Ramadan.

Contacts between Riyadh and Damascus gathered momentum following a landmark agreement earlier in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the restoration of bilateral diplomatic relations after seven years.

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