Middle East officials urged states to make deals with Israel as cover for war

Key Points:

• Officials from an unidentified Middle Eastern country advised another regional state to pursue an agreement with Israel as a strategic move to "lull it to sleep" while preparing for a future military confrontation, according to a report cleared by the IDF military censor.
• The proposal was presented as a tactical maneuver rather than a genuine effort toward lasting peace, suggesting that the agreement would later be violated to facilitate a larger conflict.
• Israel has recently engaged in peace talks with Lebanon, focusing on troop withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament, and is also reportedly working with Syria on a potential security agreement aimed at broader peace without compromising Syria’s claim to the Golan Heights.
• Internal Hamas documents revealed a deliberate strategy to feign interest in stability and economic arrangements with Israel while secretly planning the October 7, 2023, surprise attack, highlighting the risks of deception in peace efforts.
• The report does not confirm whether the advised country accepted or acted on the proposal, nor does it link any current agreements with Israel to such a deceptive strategy.