In a shocking revelation from his latest book War, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bob Woodward exposes private conversations between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and prominent Arab leaders in the days following the October 7 attacks. According to Woodward, leaders from Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt discreetly voiced their support for dismantling Hamas, viewing the group as a destabilising influence linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, which they regard as a threat to regional stability, as per an article published by The Cradle.
War offers an intimate and expansive narrative of current American political struggles and three significant conflicts: Ukraine, the Middle East, and the battle for the US presidency. Woodward provides readers with unprecedented insight into President Joe Biden’s high-stakes interactions with world leaders, including tense exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while Donald Trump, operating a “shadow presidency,” manoeuvres to regain political power.
Woodward reports that, during an October 13 meeting in Amman, Jordan’s King Abdullah II signalled a subtle endorsement for Israel’s efforts to disband Hamas. Though he pledged restraint publicly, the King warned Blinken of the long-term risks posed by Hamas’s ideological connection with the Muslim Brotherhood, emphasising the need for a decisive approach.
Likewise, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed expressed conditional backing for Israel’s actions in an October 14 meeting in Abu Dhabi. He highlighted the importance of maintaining humanitarian corridors in Gaza to manage regional sentiment, stating, “Hamas must be eliminated,” while making it clear that his support hinged on Israel’s control over violence in the West Bank and the provision of Gaza relief.
Saudi Arabia’s stance, represented by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, reflected a cautious endorsement of Israel’s operations against Hamas. The Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, echoed this sentiment, stressing that regional stability aligns with his Vision 2030 agenda and aspirations for eventual Saudi-Israel normalisation, contingent upon stability in Gaza.
In Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel reportedly shared intelligence on Hamas’s tunnels and emphasised a gradual approach to minimise further instability.
War delves deeply into Biden’s management of the Ukraine conflict – the most significant land war in Europe since World War II – and the intense back-channel diplomacy required to contain the Middle Eastern conflict between Israel and Hamas. The book exposes Biden’s efforts to prevent escalation, particularly around the potential use of nuclear weapons, with concerns mounting over the rapid drift toward a global war.
A key subplot in War reveals a postponed November 2023 meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a Saudi envoy in Tel Aviv to discuss potential normalisation, an event delayed by the October 7 incident. This development illustrates the complex web of covert alliances and diplomatic gestures Woodward masterfully uncovers in his reporting.
As the US 2024 elections approach, War takes readers inside the “raw cage-fight” of American politics, tracking Biden and Trump’s escalating rivalry. With an unexpected twist, the book reveals Vice President Kamala Harris’s elevation as the Democratic nominee, portraying her struggle to uphold the Biden legacy while navigating her own presidential aspirations.
Woodward’s War stands as an unfiltered chronicle of the chaos and critical decision-making that define today’s geopolitics. With inside-the-room reporting, Woodward continues to set the standard for authoritative journalism, delivering an unprecedented look into wartime diplomacy, global power dynamics, and the fight for the future of American leadership.
