Journal of Diplomacy and International Studies P-ISSN: 2656-3878 https://journal.uir.ac.id/index.php/jdis/index E-ISSN 2656-8713 Facilitating Conditions of Saudi Arabia – Israel Normalization in 2015-2018 Maryam Jamilah1, Hafizh Ulya Fikra2, Zulkifli Harza3 1International Relation Departement, Universitas Andalas: maryamjamilah soc.unand.ac.id 2International Relation Departement, Universitas Andalas: [email protected] 3International Relation Departement, Universitas Andalas: [email protected] ABSTRACT Since 2017, there have been several events that indicate the closeness of relations between the Saudi Arabia and Israel. One of the most significant proof was a statement from Muhammad bin Salam in an interview in The Atlantic stating that Israel had rights to their land. The improvement in relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia has come under fire from many parties such as Hezbollah and Palestine. This research aims to analyze the conditions that facilitate Saudi Arabia’s normalization toward Israel in 2015- 2018 with desecuritisation theory based on Bezer Coskun observations of Copenhagen School security analysis. This research is a qualitative research using secondary data as its sources. Researcher used desecuritisation variables that were used by Bezer Coskun on his previous research regarding Palestine and Israel in 2009. Those four variables are, 1)The change in the language to define previously securitized issue, 2) Position of the desecuritising actor and the relation between desecuritising actor and audience, 3) Conditions that point out the necessity for desecuritisation. Researcher found that condition that facilitates Saudi-Israel normalization are Muhammad bin Salam as desecuritisation actor and necessity of Israel’s assistances in realization of Saudi Vision 2030 and Iran power raising in Middle East region after Arab Spring 2011. Keywords: Normalisation, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Desecuritisation 38 Maryam Jamilah, Hafizh Ulya Fikra, Zulkifli Harza Facilitating Conditions of Saudi Arabia – Israel Normalization in 2015-2018 Journal of Diplomacy and International Studies P-ISSN: 2656-3878 https://journal.uir.ac.id/index.php/jdis/index E-ISSN 2656-8713 A. Introduction them from the Hizbullah leadership In the case of peace between the named Hassan Nasrallah. He stated that Arab world and Israel, Saudi Arabia "it seems that the future of Palestine and tends to support Palestine since the the fate of children have become a trivial establishment of Israel in 1948. But a few matter for some Arab states recently" years later Saudi Arabia entered a new and he doubts that the normalization of phase where Saudi Arabia itself showed this relationship is solely to create peace activities that indicated Palestine was no between Arabs and Israel and there is no longer relevant as their foreign policy advantage behind it (The Time of Israel, priority. The process of normalization 2016). Palestinian activist Kamel through the API is still ongoing, Hawwash also expressed a similar especially when API re-appears in the response "Our Arabs have stabbed us in Amman 2017 Declaration.(Khader the front and the back, by abusing us Bichara, 2017). politically while embracing Israel" (Ian However, the intensified efforts Black, 2019). In recent years criticism from Saudi Arabia can be seen especially from Palestinians towards Saudi Arabia when Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) has increased. Many accused the royal issued a statement regarding Israeli family of treason, they burned photos water rights along with Palestine in and pictures of the King's crown prince 2018. (TIME, April 2018). In addition, in during the demonstration. Besides that, an interview with The Atlantic, the in the virtual world there is a virtual war crown prince Muhammad bin Salman between Saudis and Palestinians which stated that he believed in the existence of is mounting when the Saudi government Israeli rights to Palestinian land while visits Israel (Edy Cohen, 2019) there were provisions for fair Previously there were a number distribution between Palestine and of writings that had analyzed this Israel (Marcus, 2018). relationship between Arab and Israel, Efforts to normalize have been such as Itamar Rabinovich's article seen starting from the unofficial visit of "Israel and The Changing Middle East". former Saudi Arabian general Anwar This paper finds that under an ever Eshki to Israel in July 2016 by bringing changing and unstable regional system, delegations, namely a number of especially after the Arab Spring, Israel's scholars and businessmen to discuss foreign policy was in the focus of a normalization and allowing the use of dilemma between increasing economic Saudi Arabian airlines to be crossed by cooperation or seeking regional security Indian airlines, India Airlines , which stability. This paper explains some aims to Israel in 2018.(Cohean, economic cooperation relations between Rabinovitc, 2018). Israel and other Arab neighboring The normalization between these countries such as Egypt, Jordan and two entities brought a lot of negative other Gulf countries (Rabinovich, 2015). responses from various parties, one of But this research has not focused on 39 Maryam Jamilah, Hafizh Ulya Fikra, Zulkifli Harza Facilitating Conditions of Saudi Arabia – Israel Normalization in 2015-2018 Journal of Diplomacy and International Studies P-ISSN: 2656-3878 https://journal.uir.ac.id/index.php/jdis/index E-ISSN 2656-8713 bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia After getting related data, the researcher and Israel. then reduces the data by focusing on the Oded Eran's research entitled main data in accordance with the frame of mind used to facilitate the analysis "Normalization between Israel and Arab process. The reduction process needs to States: Is the Idea still Viable?" Explained be done so that data or sources that are the normalization process carried out by not related to research do not make this Egypt and Jordan against Israel from research difficult to understand because 1979 (Eran, 2011). In addition, the it is not to-the-point. In the case of this writings of Gadi Hitman and Chen research, analyzing Saudi Arabia's Kertcher entitled "The Case for Arab- normalization efforts against Israel in 2015-2018 began with a discussion of Israeli Normalization during Conflict ". the history of efforts to normalize Saudi This paper describes the normalization Arabia for the first time until the relevant between the countries of Saudi Arabia parties responded to the normalization. and Qatar against the state of Israel 2) Presentation of data (Hitman, Kertcher, 2018). Even though Along with the reduction of the data, the Hitman and Kertcher showed a pattern researcher tried to analyze the data of relations that had previously been according to the research theory used. Analysis efforts are the most important established between the two countries, stages of research before presenting the the reasons for the two countries to final results or conclusions of the study. normalize Israel still could not be seen in Explanation of structured analysis of the more detail, especially when looking at data used is the obligation of researchers relations between Saudi Arabia and to present the data model. In this study, other countries in the Middle East. analysis of normalization efforts will use elements of the theory of From the previous research it can desecuritisation in order to get a picture be concluded that research that focuses of the conditions of Saudi Arabia that on analyzing conditions that facilitate made the country normalize. By knowing normalization of relations between the components and facilitating Saudi Arabia and Israel has never been conditions of a securitization, there are analyzed primarily by using the several variables that are used as a tool desecuritisation theoretical framework. to determine conditions that facilitate Therefore, this study aims to explain the the normalization of Saudi Arabia. The conditions that facilitate the first, discusses how the speech act improvement of relations between Saudi change became a desecuritising language Arabia and Israel from 2015 to 2018. carried out by a desecuritising actor namely Muhammad bin Salman. B. Method Secondly, the authority and relation of the MBS as desecuritisation actor with In conducting this explanatory research, the Saudi public. And finally, conditions researchers tried to analyze the data in that make the need for desecuritisation accordance with the steps that have been based on the situation in the Middle East. described by the qualitative research approach from Miles and Huberman. 1) Data Reduction 40 Maryam Jamilah, Hafizh Ulya Fikra, Zulkifli Harza Facilitating Conditions of Saudi Arabia – Israel Normalization in 2015-2018 Journal of Diplomacy and International Studies P-ISSN: 2656-3878 https://journal.uir.ac.id/index.php/jdis/index E-ISSN 2656-8713 and desecuritisation issues affecting the country. MBS is an important figure in the formulation of security policies within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially after he was appointed as the crown prince on June 21, 2017 (after the removal of Muhammad bin Nayef) (Sudarsan, Kareem, 2017). Before being Fig.1.1 Desecuritisation Theory inaugurated, he has held the position of Source: Besen Coskun (2009) page.24 Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia since January 23, 2015. MBS also holds the 3) Conclusion Withdrawal position of chairman of the Council for The presentation of the results of this Economic Affairs and Development of study concludes with conclusion. Saudi Arabia. The role that was obtained by Muhammmad bin Salman in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia made the C. Result and Discussion authority of a crown prince have a strong influence in the policy making process. Muhammad bin Salman's position In Although the modernization of Saudi the Saudi Arabian Community Arabia has been the agenda of the As a country that holds an absolute government of Saudi Arabia for a long monarchical system in the Middle East, time (Since King Salman is still the crown al-Saud's extended family has always prince of Saudi Arabia), MBS is an actor been at the forefront in formulating who still continues the appeal.