On Friday, August 8th, 2026, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Pact, a new alliance perceived by some analysts as a challenge to Israeli regional ambitions. Israel has yet to officially respond to the pact.

Turkiye, often viewed as a potential rival to Israel, joined nuclear-powered Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, a country Israel has sought to normalize relations with, in the agreement. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently described Israel as a “burden that humanity can no longer bear,” remarks that Israeli politicians, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, condemned as a “textbook incitement to genocide.”

Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated in June that Israeli military actions in Syria and Lebanon posed a direct threat to Ankara, emphasizing that Turkiye’s security concerns extend beyond its southern province of Hatay to include Aleppo, Damascus, and Beirut.

Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that for Riyadh, recent conflicts have underscored that while American military power remains essential, an alliance with the US does not guarantee protection from attacks nor ensure US actions align with Saudi priorities.

Analysts from Haaretz suggest that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be leveraging Turkiye as a strategic rival to strengthen his security credentials ahead of the general election, where he is reported to be neck-and-neck with challenger Gadi Eizenkot.

The implications of the Mecca defence pact for US involvement in the Middle East remain uncertain.

Sources