Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has described the emerging Mecca Alliance as a “very dangerous and very troubling development,” warning that closer cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Turkey could have serious strategic consequences for Israel.
Chikli said Saudi Arabia had previously maintained a position of strategic balance, noting that Riyadh already had a defense agreement with Pakistan. However, he argued that closer alignment with Turkey—described by him as being in direct confrontation with Israel—could significantly alter the regional balance.
“This is a development that is very, very bad for us, for Israel,” Chikli said, warning that tensions could escalate across the Mediterranean and on the Syrian front with potentially serious consequences.
In response, the Israeli minister called for Israel to strengthen its strategic partnerships with Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates and Somaliland, highlighting the importance of expanding alliances amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the region.
Chikli’s remarks underscore Israel’s growing focus on building a network of regional and international partnerships as competition and strategic alignments intensify across the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Horn of Africa.