Sputnik- The Trump administration has been approaching Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan and Egypt through their diplomatic missions in Washington with proposals to form a US-backed defense pact which would share intelligence with Israel and counter Iran's influence in the region, according to media reports.


MOSCOW (Sputnik)�� US President Donald Trump's administration has floated the idea of�forming an Israel-friendly anti-Iran Arab alliance on�the basis of�the Saudi-led coalition intervening in�Yemen, local media reported Wednesday.

The administration has been approaching Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan and Egypt through�their diplomatic missions in�Washington with�proposals to�form a US-backed defense pact which would share intelligence with�Israel and counter Iran's influence in�the region, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Arab diplomats from�the embassies.

"They�ve been asking diplomatic missions in�Washington if we�d be willing to�join this force that has an Israeli component� Israel�s role would likely be intelligence sharing, not training or boots on�the ground. They�d provide intelligence and targets. That�s what the Israelis are good at," a diplomat told the newspaper.

The Arab alliance would also be offered increased US military aid in�return for�agreeing to�protect each other in�case of�external attack.

Cobbling together an Israeli-friendly coalition involving Gulf states could prove a difficult task as�both Saudi Arabia and the UAE do not have formal diplomatic relations with�Israel. Arab diplomats have reportedly asked for�Israel to�stop its illegal settlement activities in�the occupied West Bank as�a condition for�cooperation under�US proposals.

The coalition would be formed by�expanding the ongoing Saudi-led intervention in�the Yemeni civil war, where Iran is said to�be backing the Shiite Houthi rebels. The United States pledged to�increase military aid to�the campaign as�well as�help secure Red Sea shipping routes from�the outfall of�the war.

The coalition has turned down�making comments on�the talks, as�has the US administration and Israel.

Yemen's civil war between�the internationally recognized Aden-based government and the Houthi movement backed by�army units loyal to�former President Ali Abdullah Saleh erupted in�March 2015. The Saudi-led coalition of�Persian Gulf countries began the same month and has since�been criticized for�hitting civilians, causing disproportional child casualties and damaging vital non-military infrastructure. The coalition insists that it seeks to�minimize civilian casualties.
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