Before the October 7 attack by Hamas, the Middle East had fallen into a state of relative equilibrium between Israel and its neighbors. Many Arab states in the region, including Saudi Arabia, had become considerably more open to diplomatic relationships with Israel in the preceding years, according to Professor Spinner-Halev. The October 7 attack and Israel’s brutal response, however, have caused rippling effects from within the country to the surrounding region and, ultimately, the world. 

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