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Abstract
This study employs Neoclassical Realism to analyse the stances of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members towards the Israel-Palestine conflict. The study examines, by applying the levels of analysis framework, how domestic factors, along with systemic dynamics at the third level, influence the GCC states’ policy stance vis-àvis the conflict. By utilising a multi-level analysis, the research examines how thirdlevel systemic dynamics interact with domestic variables to shape the foreign policy trajectories of GCC states. Using qualitative and interpretive methodologies, the paper explores the tension between traditional Arab solidarity for Palestinian statehood and contemporary geopolitical shifts in the Arab world—most notably the normalisation initiatives catalysed by the Abraham Accords. The complexity of the regional political landscape seems to have been further exacerbated by the events of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This has constrained policy options for GCC leadership in the succeeding years. This article investigates the nuanced interplay of elite perceptions, domestic stability, and strategic interests. The findings suggest that GCC policy responses are neither monolithic nor unidirectional; rather, they represent a complex balancing act between external systemic pressures and internal political imperatives.