RIYADH, June 4: Newspapers in the Middle East fear that the growing amity between Israel and India was a cause of concern not only to Pakistan but for the Arab world as well.

The confluence of interest between Israel and India on the issue which both term “terrorism” can therefore not go unnoticed in the Middle East.

Newspapers here carried prominently the photograph of the participants of a joint working group of the two countries on counter-terrorism in New Delhi, held on May 28.

India has signed a deal with Israel for acquiring unspecified number of long-range radars. India is also in advanced talks with Israel to purchase three Falcon AWACS that will be mounted on the Russian made II-76 aircraft.

Over the past five years, India has concluded several deals with Israel to purchase a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Indian government, taking a cue from the US campaign against “terrorism”, are trying their best to exploit the current global sentiment.

Undoubtedly, the rhetoric emanating from both Tel Aviv and New Delhi have very similar tones. Is it purely accidental?

“There is a grim resemblance in India’s systematic suppression of its Muslim citizens, denial of the legitimate rights of the Kashmiris and provocation to Pakistan, and Israel’s repression of the Palestinians in the occupied territories, denial of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians and the provocation to the neighbouring Arab countries charging them with supporting Palestinian ‘terrorism’”, senior Saudi journalist Dr Abdul Qader Tash wrote in one of his recent columns.

Facts indicate that this confluence is the result of a long- term planning and coordination between the intelligence agencies of the two states.

Jane’s information group reported in July last year that “Raw and Mossad have created four new agencies to infiltrate Pakistan in order to target important religious and military personalities, journalists, judges, lawyers and bureaucrats. In addition, bombs would be exploded in trains, railway stations, bridges, bus stations, cinemas, hotel and mosques of rival sects to incite sectarianism.”

It is not only that India is benefiting out of this growing relationship, but also Israel. Besides keeping an eye on developments within Pakistan, from a close range, it also is reportedly striving to threaten the entire Islamic and the Arab world.

Some reports indicate that “arrangements have been made for joint Indo-Israel espionage operations in key areas of the Muslim world”.