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/ Israel and the East Mediterranean
Israel’s relations in the Middle East and the Mediterranean are in the midst of a transformative period. The positive momentum generated following the Abraham Accords was flipped on its head after the Hamas terror attack of 7 October 2023. Since then, Israel has mostly been engaged in fighting – in Gaza against Hamas; in Lebanon against Hezbollah; directly with Iran, for the first time; in Yemen, against the Houthis; and in Syria, following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad. Impacted by the trauma of 7 October, as well as by deep-rooted insecurities and more recent domestic tensions, Israel has been seeking to reshape regional realities to its favour and enhance its security. It has done so in ways that have generated heavy regional criticism and damaged Israel’s global standing. Yet, Israel sustained its ties in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, albeit in a more limited scope, and as time went by and regional transitions took place, new diplomatic opportunities emerged.
