Three Gulf Countries Have Contacted Israel For 'Cooperation' Over COVID-19 Response

Political controversies, triggered by possible normalization between several Gulf states and Israel, continue to erupt in the Middle East, even during a pandemic.

In a press report, the Jerusalem Post reported that Gulf states have been in contact with an Israeli medical center following the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the newspaper, Bahrain and another Gulf state, that was not named, contacted Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, the largest hospital in Israel.

According to the director of  Sheba Medical Center, the two Arab countries "have taken an interest in telemedicine or remote medicine innovations in Israel and the ways the Jewish state has responded to the coronavirus pandemic."

In his talk to the Jerusalem Post, he added that doctors and nurses in the two countries and Israel have been linked to "share logistical knowledge."

The report adds that the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United Nations has also expressed her country's willingness "to work with Israel on a vaccine".

Yet, the report was perceived to, once more, promote potential diplomatic ties and cooperation between Israel and Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, using the coronavirus narrative, especially that the report fails to record that Israel and the aforementioned Gulf countries have been suffering from high numbers of coronavirus cases, in comparison with other neighboring countries with similar populations.

Gulf states have been reporting the biggest daily jumps of COVID-19 cases over the last week.

Analysts also note that cooperation on efforts to create a potential vaccine, could make a stronger and more serious statement if these states communicated to countries with advanced vaccine trials like the US, France, or Germany.