A geopolitical map presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, during the unveiling of his new national security doctrine, has raised questions about Israel’s perception of regional alliances after placing Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan in a bloc positioned against the Israeli-UAE alliance.
The map also featured striking classifications of armed groups and local political entities in Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Syria and Libya. Rather than simply dividing Middle Eastern countries into competing regional camps, it assigned different colours to territories within individual Arab states based on their presumed relationships with regional powers.
Netanyahu displayed the map during a press conference outlining his revised vision for Israeli national security, ahead of elections scheduled for 27 October. It appeared on a presentation slide titled “Main Threats: Arenas”, illustrating the convergence and competition of regional alliances.
However, the map was not originally produced by the Israeli government.
It carries the logo of Germany’s Friedrich Ebert Foundation, which published it on 19 May as part of an analysis titled “Geopolitical Alliances in the Middle East”, prepared by researchers Marc Saxer and Markus Schneider.
The German foundation presents the map as an interpretation of shifting regional power structures and emerging alliances, focusing on competition between three principal blocs: the Israeli-UAE alliance, a grouping led by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan, and Iran and its regional allies.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan Placed in Rival Alliance
One of the most notable features of the map is its classification of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan in dark green as members of an emerging grouping described as the “Sunni Diamond Alliance”.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, appear in dark blue under the designation “Israeli-Emirati Hexagon Alliance”.
According to the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s interpretation, the emerging bloc comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan seeks to counterbalance Iranian influence while also resisting what it regards as attempts by the Israeli-UAE axis to reshape the region’s geopolitical order.
The foundation suggests that the Israeli-Emirati partnership could develop into a wider alliance involving additional countries and political forces across Asia, Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, as part of efforts to expand regional influence.
Beyond the two principal colours, the map uses lighter shades of green and blue to identify countries and groups regarded as friendly to each respective alliance.
Maroon represents Iran and forces classified within the “Axis of Resistance”, while pink identifies countries and groups considered friendly to Tehran.
Orange and yellow borders around certain countries indicate their relationships with NATO or the United States, demonstrating how regional alignments overlap with security and political partnerships involving Western powers.
The classifications are particularly notable because they distinguish between governments and local armed movements within the same country, reflecting competing spheres of influence rather than treating national borders as uniform political alignments.
Sudan: Rapid Support Forces Classified as Friends of Israel and the UAE
In Sudan, the map draws a distinction between areas associated with the country’s rival military forces.
Most Sudanese territory appears in light green, representing forces regarded as friendly to the Saudi-Egyptian-Turkish-Pakistani alliance.
Territories controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), however, are marked in light blue, the colour assigned to forces considered friendly to the Israeli-UAE axis.
The classification carries particular political significance given the repeated allegations that the UAE has supplied the RSF with weapons and financial support.
Abu Dhabi has denied those accusations.
The continuing war in Sudan has generated regional disagreements over the external actors accused of supporting the country’s competing armed forces. Against that background, the map’s treatment of RSF-controlled territory places the Sudanese conflict within a wider geopolitical rivalry involving regional powers.
Yemen Divided Between Three Regional Alignments
Yemen appears divided into three distinct classifications, reflecting the political and military fragmentation that has characterised the country over recent years.
Areas associated with the Yemeni government are shown in light green, placing them closer to the alliance comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.
Territories controlled by the Houthi movement appear in maroon, identifying them with Iran and the “Axis of Resistance”.
Meanwhile, areas labelled on the map as belonging to the “former Southern Transitional Council” are represented through alternating light blue and light green stripes.
This differs from the classifications assigned to both government-controlled and Houthi-controlled territories, suggesting overlapping regional relationships in the map’s interpretation.
The distinction is noteworthy given the UAE’s role in supporting the Southern Transitional Council and the recent developments in Yemen, including escalating confrontations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.
These developments have renewed questions about the political and military balance in southern Yemen, where competing local authorities and external alliances have shaped the country’s prolonged divisions.
Somaliland and Puntland Placed Within Israeli-UAE Sphere
The map extends its geopolitical divisions into the Horn of Africa, distinguishing between Somalia’s federal government and authorities governing different parts of the country.
Somalia is classified among the countries friendly to the Saudi-Egyptian-Turkish-Pakistani alliance.
Somaliland and Puntland, by contrast, appear in light blue, placing them within the category of forces regarded as friendly to Israel and the UAE.
The map also identifies a territory labelled “North East State of Somalia” separately from Somaliland and Puntland, assigning it to the camp considered closer to the Saudi-led grouping.
These distinctions are particularly relevant given the UAE’s relationships with authorities in Somaliland and Puntland, alongside Israel’s position concerning the recognition of Somaliland.
The Somali federal government, meanwhile, maintains its commitment to the country’s territorial unity and rejects the recognition of entities seeking separation from Somalia.
Elsewhere in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia and Djibouti appear among the countries classified as friendly to the Israeli-UAE alliance.
Eritrea is placed closer to the grouping led by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan.
The geographical distribution illustrates how the map’s proposed alliance structures extend beyond the Middle East into strategically important parts of northeastern Africa.
Syria’s Suwayda Classified Among Forces Friendly to Israel
Syria receives another particularly notable classification.
Most Syrian territory appears in light green, indicating proximity to the Saudi-Egyptian-Turkish-Pakistani alliance.
However, Druze-majority areas in southern Syria associated with Suwayda province are highlighted in light blue, the colour representing forces considered friendly to the Israeli-UAE axis.
The distinction effectively separates the Druze areas from the rest of Syria in the map’s geopolitical framework.
It comes against the backdrop of relationships established by certain local figures and factions in Suwayda with Israel, particularly groups associated with Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri.
Al-Hijri generated widespread controversy in August after describing Syrian Druze as “an inseparable part of the State of Israel” during a speech in Suwayda.
On 7 October, supporters of al-Hijri also gathered in the province in an expression of solidarity with Israel. The gathering included the display of Israeli flags and photographs of Netanyahu on the anniversary of the Israeli assault on Gaza.
The map’s classification of Suwayda is therefore particularly sensitive, presenting parts of southern Syria as politically closer to the Israeli-UAE axis despite their location within Syrian territory.
Kurdish Areas and the Changing Situation in Northeastern Syria
The map also distinguishes Kurdish-held areas in northeastern Syria from territories administered by Damascus, highlighting their connections with the United States.
However, the map was published before the completion of the process of integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the institutions of the Autonomous Administration into Syrian state structures.
Damascus regained control of extensive territories in northeastern Syria in January 2026, as part of a political and military process that began with an integration agreement in March 2025.
The process subsequently advanced when SDF commander Mazloum Abdi announced on 25 August 2026 that his forces had completed their mission and would cease operating as an independent military formation following their integration into the Syrian army.
Consequently, the map’s depiction of northeastern Syria reflects an earlier stage of the country’s political and military arrangements rather than the subsequent changes described in the integration process.
Libya: Haftar-Aligned Camp Within the Israeli-UAE Sphere
Libya is presented through a combination of light blue and light green, reflecting the overlapping influence of the Israeli-UAE axis and the Sunni Diamond Alliance.
The map identifies two competing administrations: the Government of National Unity and the Government of National Stability.
The classification reflects Libya’s continuing political division between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and the eastern-based Government of National Stability, led by Osama Hammad.
The eastern administration is supported by forces loyal to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, whose military formations control extensive territories across eastern and southern Libya.
The combination of colours illustrates how the country’s rival authorities and their external relationships are interpreted within the map’s broader framework of regional competition.
The Israeli-UAE axis is associated with the sphere of influence surrounding the Haftar-aligned camp, while the presence of the Saudi-led bloc’s colour reflects the competing regional relationships operating within Libya.
Hamas, Hezbollah and Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces Classified Within Iran’s Axis
The map also identifies several prominent armed organisations across the region as part of the Iranian-aligned camp.
In Iraq, the Popular Mobilisation Forces are distinguished through classifications associated with Iran.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah appears within the Iranian axis.
The map similarly places Hamas in the Gaza Strip within the same regional grouping, while assigning other territories and actors to different classifications.
These distinctions form part of the foundation’s broader attempt to illustrate the distribution of regional influence across both sovereign states and non-state armed organisations.
Netanyahu Presents Map as Part of New Offensive Security Doctrine
Netanyahu displayed the map while introducing a revised Israeli national security doctrine built around ten fundamental principles.
Among the central elements are prioritising offensive action and preventing perceived threats before they materialise, rather than relying primarily on containment and defensive measures.
The doctrine also calls for expanding Israel’s regional and international alliances and strengthening its position as a regional power.
According to a statement published by Netanyahu’s office on Sunday, the Israeli prime minister argued that the war following the 7 October 2023 Al-Aqsa Flood operation had necessitated a fundamental reassessment of Israel’s security doctrine.
He also pointed to what he described as opportunities to establish new alliances both within the Middle East and beyond.
The inclusion of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s map in Netanyahu’s presentation places the competing regional alliances, including the Saudi-Egyptian-Turkish-Pakistani grouping and the Iranian axis, within the strategic framework he presented for Israel’s future security policy.
