"The tectonic changes in the Middle East in the aftermath of the October 7 war raised expectations for an alignment between Israel and the Kurds. These expectations were fueled by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's declaration on November 10, 2024, that the Kurds are Israel's "natural ally" and that ties with them should therefore be strengthened. He further emphasized: "This has both political and security aspects."
Sa'ar's declaration was like music to the ears of many Kurds – and some Israelis as well – but the political reality has proved quite different, due to the complexity of the situation. To unravel this complexity, it's necessary to differentiate between people-to-people versus official relations; between relations with the Kurds of Iraq and those of other countries; and between open and covert relations."
*The opinions expressed in MDC publications are the authors’ alone.