The regional blockade against “Israel” dealt a major blow to plans for Israel’s key transportation hub, causing a major setback to the project.
From left: Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed S. Al-Sudani, and Qatar’s Jassim bin Saif.・Minister of Transport Bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Iraqi Minister of Transport Razak al-Muhaibas. Al Saadawi applauds during talks to sign the Framework Agreement on Development Roads on Security, Economy and Development in Baghdad, Iraq, April 22, 2024 (AFP)
According to analysis by Mondoweiss contributor Ahmed Alkart, Israel’s ambitions to become the Middle East’s central transportation hub are linked to continued Israeli atrocities aimed at stopping the ongoing Israeli massacre in Gaza. hampered by sea and land blockades.
Analysis shows that the regional blockade has proven to be effective and is critical to one of Israel’s major efforts to establish a potential land bridge linking the Gulf states with Israel and Europe. dealt a blow.
The Israel-centric India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor project (IMEC), originally proposed by US President Biden during the G20 meeting last September, faces serious challenges to its survival, Alkart said. .
He also emphasized that IMEC seeks to connect Asia and Europe through a network of railways and ports across India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and Greece.
Declining global confidence in “Israel” capabilities
The IMEC project suffered a major setback last week when the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkey, Iraq and Qatar to support rival development road projects. The initiative proposes alternative rail and highway routes for trade between Asia and Europe through Iraq, with the aim of enhancing local, regional and global commerce. According to Alkart’s analysis, this action signals a decline in global confidence in Israel’s ability to ensure the continuity of IMEC, especially in the midst of the ongoing Gaza massacre.
Moreover, the naval blockade of the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, together with the land blockade of Jordan, casts doubt on the potential of “Israel” as a skilled and reliable transportation center.
“The cost to Israel of genocide in Palestine is now having strategic implications that undermine Israel’s future economic prospects,” Alkart said.
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In May 2023, Iraq launched a development road project aimed at connecting Turkey with the Grand Four port in its oil-rich southern region through a network of rail and roads. The project’s goal is to elevate Iraq to an important transportation center in the region by reducing travel times between Asia and Europe and presenting a competitive alternative to the Suez Canal.
Iraqi authorities plan to introduce high-speed rail to quickly transport both goods and passengers to the industrial center. Additionally, the project includes plans to construct an oil and gas pipeline.
Grand Four Port is currently at the halfway point of construction and is expected to be completed within the next five years, pending funding.
Just three months after the announcement of the development road project in May 2023, “Israel” introduced IMEC as a competitor and launched a new project in partnership with the strategic Gulf ally UAE under the framework of the normalization agreement. It was proposed as a regional transportation center. “Israel.”
According to the analysis, this initiative is positioned as the linchpin of a “new Middle East” in the context of possible normalization between “Israel” and various Arab Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia.
naval blockade
The situation changed dramatically with the outbreak of Israeli violence and massacres after Prime Minister Netanyahu presented a map depicting a “new Middle East” that specifically excluded Palestine. Following the atrocities in Gaza, Yemen’s Ansar Allah imposed a naval blockade against Israeli shipping in the Red Sea. At the same time, protests erupted in Jordan aimed at disrupting land transport from the Gulf to “Israel”. Additionally, Iraqi Islamic resistance forces have begun a partial blockade of the Mediterranean Sea.
In Alkarut’s view, the implementation of these blockades has raised concerns among global stakeholders about the feasibility of future IMEC projects. This skepticism is further fueled by the growing perception that Israel is a rogue state, despite continued support from the United States in diplomatic, financial, and military aid. There is.
As a result, countries and investors are increasingly considering developed roads as a viable alternative to IMEC. Analysis suggests that this recent development, whether indicative of a strategic shift or simply a precautionary measure, highlights a form of hedging by various state actors.
“Turkey and the UAE, which are parties to the Abraham Accords, and Iraq and Qatar, which are not parties to the agreement but maintain strategic ties with the United States, are currently cooperating on developmental road projects.Regional Connectivity “While exclusion from the plan undermines the US-led Abraham Accords, this latest move does not necessarily signal the end of the agreement,” Alkarut argued.
The acceptance of the development road could be interpreted as a preventive tactic by the US and other signatories to the normalization agreement with Israel to prepare for a scenario in which Tel Aviv faces international isolation over ongoing atrocities in Palestine. He emphasized that there is a gender.
Additionally, there is an increasing likelihood that certain countries will impose economic sanctions against the Israeli occupation. Turkey’s recent decision to suspend trade with Israel until a ceasefire is reached in the Gaza Strip is a prime example, and additional sanctions are likely to be imposed if Tel Aviv continues its genocide.
Strategic trade partnership between Türkiye and UAE
Meanwhile, Turkey and the UAE are strengthening ties through the Abraham Accords, which includes a strategic trade partnership. Qatar and the UAE are also improving relations, with the potential for increased cooperation under the U.S. security umbrella. Iraq, driven by economic interests, aims to weaken IMEC and promote its own projects. Iraq is working indirectly with the United States to position itself as a strategic ally. According to the analysis, Saudi Arabia’s interest in participating in the project, coupled with its trade ties with the UAE, suggests tacit support.
Lebanon proposes to include Beirut Port in IMEC instead of joining the development road. The proposal comes as Haifa Port faces challenges from the ongoing naval blockade.
“This development confirms that regional actors are preparing for a post-Israel Middle East in which Israel will no longer be a major player.As a result, alternatives to the Abraham Accords are being envisioned and this Direct Israeli involvement would allow the United States to build regional security and economic agreements without the Abraham Accords.”This regional reorientation away from Israel represents an undeniable strategic loss for the Jewish state.” ” argues Alkarut.
The analysis highlights that despite short-term gains, Israel is experiencing a strategic setback as it continues to commit genocide in Palestine, and its focus on resistance activities could have secured Tel Aviv a notable victory. It concludes by adding that it is moving it away from possible trajectories. The future position of the region. As a result, Arab countries participating in the normalization agreement are currently reviewing their economic partnership.
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