Israel faces a reconfiguration of its international alliances

Since the start of the war, Israel's international position has been subjected to growing diplomatic pressure and a progressive reconfiguration of its alliances, with increasingly visible fractures in different regions. In this context, Spain has positioned itself among the most critical voices in Europe. Pedro Sánchez's government has prohibited the use of the Rota and Morón US bases for operations against Iran and has withdrawn the Spanish ambassador to Israel. The escalation has intensified in recent weeks: Israel has excluded Spain from the multinational center overseeing the ceasefire in Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Madrid that countries that "wage a diplomatic war" against Israel "will pay an immediate price." Sánchez, for his part, has insisted on the need to suspend the association agreement between the EU and Israel.But the Spanish case is not an exception, but part of an ever-widening fracture in Europe. Even traditionally close governments, such as Italy, have begun to distance themselves. The government of Giorgia Meloni has suspended a defense cooperation agreement with Israel, in force since 2006 and automatically renewed every five years. “There is a significant change not only in the European perception of Israel, but also in the global one”, explains to ARA Dr. Leonie Fleischmann, an expert in international politics and human rights at Saint George's University of London. The EU, she says, has gone so far as to consider measures that could partially suspend the free trade agreement with Israel, a qualitative change in the relationship. Although there are signs of international isolation, Fleischmann qualifies that the European response is uneven: Germany and Hungary are hindering any progress in the relationship, while Greece or Cyprus are strengthening ties, especially military ones.In the Middle East, tension is structural, especially with Turkey, one of the main regional powers. The relationship between both sides has deteriorated significantly since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the start of the offensive in Gaza. Ankara has repeatedly accused the Israeli government of committing war crimes and trying to make it its next regional enemy, and Israel has criticized Turkey for its proximity to Iran and for its repression against the Kurds. In this climate, a couple of days ago, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs went as far as to call Netanyahu the "Hitler of our time".Washington's favor and doubts in the Gulf

Despite tensions, Israel is not alone. The United States remains its main ally, with key military and strategic cooperation. However, Beth Oppenheim –of the think tank European Council on Foreign Relations– points out to this newspaper that the war with Iran could erode the relationship in the long term. As she explains, American public opinion is changing, both within the MAGA movement and the Democratic Party, with a growing perception that Israel is dragging Washington into a conflict contrary to its interests.In parallel, Israel is trying to consolidate ties with the Arab countries with which it normalized relations under the Abraham Accords of 2020, such as the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain. Netanyahu has once again insisted that Israel is "forging alliances with Arab countries willing to fight alongside it," but has not specified which ones.However, several analysts warn that the room for maneuver is limited. Some Gulf countries have hardened their stance towards Tehran, such as the United Arab Emirates, while others, like Saudi Arabia, continue to condition normalization with Israel on progress in the Palestinian issue. “Israel may find that its expectations of rapprochement and a new security architecture with Gulf actors have been exaggerated. Gulf leaders remain deeply skeptical of Israel, which they see as a destabilizing power,” Oppenheim concludes. Furthermore, public opinion in these countries remains largely critical of Israel, a factor that limits the political room for maneuver of their governments.