Regional states plotted to falsify plans for normalization with Israel while planning war - report

Jerusalem Post/Israel NewsAccording to the report, officials from the first country told their counterparts during talks that they should demonstrate tactical flexibility toward Israel and work toward reaching an agreement.Follow us on Google Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa attend a group photo session with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.(photo credit: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER)BySHIR PERETSAUGUST 10, 2026 08:30Officials from one country in the region advised another regional state to pursue an agreement with Israel in order to "lull it to sleep" while preparing for a larger confrontation, Kan News reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.According to the report, officials from the first country told their counterparts during talks in recent months that they should demonstrate tactical flexibility toward Israel and work toward reaching an agreement.The proposal, however, was reportedly not intended as a path toward lasting reconciliation. Instead, the officials advised the other country to use the period created by an agreement to prepare for a future war against Israel, according to the sources cited in the report.The officials reportedly suggested reaching an agreement with Israel with the intention of later violating it, while simultaneously preparing for a larger military confrontation.The report did not identify either of the two countries involved, and the information was attributed to sources familiar with the discussions.Gunmen stand guard at the funeral of Marwan Issa, a senior Hamas deputy military commander who was killed in an Israeli airstrike during the conflict between Israel and Hamas, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip, February 7, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed)Hamas documents reveal false attempts at seeking stabilityThose concerns carry particular weight following the intelligence failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. Internal Hamas documents published in June detailed a deliberate effort by the terrorist organization to convince Israel that it sought stability while secretly preparing for a surprise attack.The documents described a multidimensional deception strategy designed to foster Israeli complacency. Hamas sought to project restraint and an interest in economic and diplomatic arrangements, including by remaining on the sidelines during some previous rounds of fighting between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.The new report comes as Israel and regional actors continue to weigh diplomatic arrangements and normalization initiatives in a Middle East reshaped by the wars that followed October 7. Efforts toward new agreements have continued in several arenas, including discussions surrounding possible normalization between Israel and Syria.Additionally, the report did not address whether the country that allegedly received the proposal accepted the advice or acted on it. It also does not establish that any agreement currently under discussion with Israel is part of such a strategy.Follow us on Google