The momentary thaw between Israel and the Gulf countries in the wake of the Madrid conference was quickly ended by the failures of the peace process. A number of links, sometimes narrow and almost always secret, however, exist between Israel and these countries, whether they concern economics or issues of security. The threat from Iran is a common one, and has become today a factor of rapprochement, even if the establishment of formal relations remains dependent on a comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem.