Israel and the Gulf States—the Nature of Secret Cooperation

The Polish Institute of International Affairs is an analytical institution established by an act of Parliament in 1996 to carry out research and provide expertise in international affairs. PISM disseminates information on contemporary international issues and maintains contacts with academic and political centres in Poland and abroad. The Institute runs courses for public servants, maintains a library (open to the public; 165,000 books and journals), organises conferences, and publishes books, periodicals and documents on Polish foreign policy and international matters.

The funding for PISM comes from the budget. The director is appointed by the prime minister for a term of five years, following consultation with the minister of foreign affairs. The minister supervises the Institute and appoints its advisory council, which includes a representative of the President of the Republic of Poland, academics and officials.Israel has for many years maintained undisclosed contacts with the Sunni monarchies of the Persian Gulf, despite the lack of official diplomatic relations. The foundation of the cooperation, especially with Saudi Arabia, is the fear of Iran’s growing dominance in the Middle East. Despite the convergence of interests, normalisation of relations remains unlikely and is highly dependent on the resolution of the Palestinian question.