Bahrain Mirror (2023 Portfolios): More than three and a half years ago, the Bahraini regime's decision to normalize relations with Israel carried both declared and undeclared goals, widely known by everyone. Ostensibly, the official reason for normalization was to advance the peace process and preserve Palestinian rights. However, in reality, the Israelis had increased their attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinians in the West Bank, and were emboldened, since they got what they wanted, and were no longer obliged to make any concessions to Palestinians, now that the Arabs came to them to normalize for free without extracting any price in return for this position.

The undeclared goal was to forge an alliance in the region, spurred by the United States' interests in heading east to counter China and prioritize confronting China and Russia. This strategic shift underscored America's dwindling interest in the West Asian region with all its problems.

Bahrain hoped that this normalization move would yield a partner who has a strong reputation in security with shared goals in countering Iran, and curbing its regional influence by dismantling its alliances in the region. However, as the ruling family has previously shown us, the regime's aspirations didn't align with reality. Bahrain witnessed the Iranian missiles raining down on the Mossad headquarters in Erbil, underscoring their inability to prevent it.

Despite the setbacks that accompanied that period, the ruling family continued its normalization efforts, introducing Israelis into various sectors, including security, military, health and education, while signing agreements related to energy and financial cooperation, etc. Before, hardly a week would pass without news of normalization steps, up until the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation came to sweep away the dreams of the ruling family.

The ruling family, who did not seem to comprehend the magnitude of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, remained speechless by the Israeli intelligence failure. The Israeli entity that has long been proud of the power of its intelligence, and its possession of the latest spyware and software in the world, failed to detect a major military operation from the Gaza Strip that is besieged from all sides. This was a slap in its face throwing it off its balance, and almost bringing it to its knees had it not been for the unprecedented American support.

In light of all of this, how did the ruling family process the new information? Its answer was to join a US-led maritime coalition aimed at countering the Yemenis and putting an end to their attacks on the Israelis. This move not only defied rational strategic behavior but also showcased the regime's ridiculous shift from seeking protection, in their pursuit of normalization, to actively participating in the protection of Israel. This shift proved to the Arab and Islamic world the extent of the ruling family's betrayal and how low they would stoop. However, it is yet another significant station that underlines this family's detachment from reality, its people, and its surroundings, and highlights its inability to read the future and learn from its mistakes.

By tethering its fate to that of Israel, the ruling family unwittingly tied its destiny to a regime facing an uncertain future. While the demise of Israel may not be imminent, the darkening horizon for it implies an equally ominous future for the ruling family, which sacrificed its integrity under the misguided belief that it would shield it from potential popular movements.

Arabic Version