Last weekend, an agreement was signed in Mecca that could shift the balance of power in the Middle East: the “Mecca Joint Defense Pact” between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. According to the agreement, an armed attack on one of the three states is considered an attack on all – a principle explicitly reminiscent of Article 5 of the NATO treaty. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed this similarity and added that Cairo could also join the alliance in the near future “once technical issues have been resolved.”
The agreement effectively expands an existing mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which was concluded last September. Now Turkey joins the alliance – with NATO’s second-largest army and a growing arms industry. Together, they form an unusual combination: Saudi Arabia with its capital and oil, Pakistan with its nuclear capabilities and land-based military strength, and Turkey with its technology, advanced drones, and regional ambitions. No alliance “against Israel” – but not neutral either
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