[Today's Prayer] 'Public Enemy' Israel?... Iran and Middle Eastern Countries Expanding Contact Areas

Amid growing concerns over an all-out war due to Israel's military operation targeting pro-Iranian armed forces in the Middle East, there is analysis that subtle changes are being detected in the relationship between Iran and other Middle Eastern countries.

On the 20th (local time), the American daily New York Times (NYT) highlighted the recent atmosphere of expanding contact areas between Iran and Middle Eastern countries in an article titled 'Reorganization of the Middle East in Progress, Excluding Israel'.

In particular, the NYT analyzed that "warmth is spreading" in the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are traditional rivals.

Iran, the leader of the Shiite Islam, and Saudi Arabia, the eldest brother of the Sunni Islam, are rival countries that have been at odds over regional hegemony. However, the NYT observed that Saudi Arabia is "warming up its relationship with Iran, its traditional 'biggest enemy'" since the Gaza War.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is increasingly distancing itself from Israel.

After the Gaza Strip war, Saudi Arabia suspended diplomatic negotiations with Israel and demanded Israel's recognition of Palestine as a condition for establishing diplomatic relations.

The New York Times pointed out that "Saudi Arabia has long supported the 'two-state solution' (where Israel and Palestine coexist), but it has not recently prioritized it in its foreign policy," but that this has changed since the Gaza Strip war.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia held a multilateral meeting with Iran, along with other Gulf countries.

On the 4th, the foreign ministers of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar) and Iran met in Doha, Qatar, to discuss Middle East security issues.

The New York Times pointed out that this was the first time the GCC had held a meeting of this kind with Iran.

Afterwards, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Saudi Arabia on the 9th and paid a courtesy call on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

There are also some changes in the relationship with Egypt, which was considered Iran's 'arch-rival'.

On the 16th, Minister Araghchi visited Cairo, Egypt, met with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and met with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. The New York Times reported that this was the first visit to Egypt by an Iranian foreign minister in 12 years.

In addition, the UAE, which had been relatively friendly to Israel, changed its stance due to Israel's pressure, emphasizing the 'two-state solution'.

The background to this movement seems to be dissatisfaction with Israel, which is prolonging the war and pushing the Middle East into a crisis.

The fact that domestic public opinion toward Israel has significantly worsened also seems to have influenced the diplomatic stance of these Middle Eastern countries.

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Source: Yonhap News

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

Amid the atmosphere in which the war between Israel and Hamas is about to escalate into a war between Israel and pro-Iranian militants in the Middle East, we hear news that Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries, and even Egypt, which had different policies from Iran, are improving their relations with Iran.

Now that even countries that have been rivals for Arab hegemony and countries that have been friendly to Israel are showing such behavior, it seems that Israel will have to fight a more lonely battle in the future.

Lord, please remove the obstacles that Israel and the Arab people must overcome in order to fulfill the words that you blessed Abraham and told him to be a blessing to all nations.

We believe that now is the time for the global church to unite and pray for the situation in Israel and the Arabs and ask that the gospel of the Lord be spread to all nations.

Would the local Arab churches be saved from the unjust and evil feelings toward Israel that are spread among the Arab people and may they come forward in faith and proclaim peace between Arabs and Israel through the gospel.

Therefore, may is not just be an alliance of Arabs excluding Israel, but let us see the true unity of Isaac and Ishmael be achieved through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, and let us welcome the second coming of the Lord!