Why the Mecca Agreement has given the UAE-Israel alliance the jitters

Why the Mecca Agreement has given the UAE-Israel alliance the jitters Submitted by David Hearst on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 11:04 With their destructive wars, Netanyahu and Trump have brought the Gulf to the brink of destruction - the Mecca pact represents rightful pushback for their recklessness UAE's President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) with Saudi's Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman ahead of their meeting at Qasr Al-Rawdha in Abu Dhabi on 1 December 2024 (AFP) On Intelligence services don’t like surprises, especially those who pride themselves on being able to listen in on any conversation anywhere in the world. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement , signed on 7 August, came as a surprise to the Emiratis and Israeli intelligence services. The Emiratis only found out about it two weeks before it was declared and by then it was too late.