Betul Dogan Akkas, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Ankara University, stated that if the first real test of the Mecca Defense Agreement revolves around the Houthi rebels rather than Israel, it would be inconsistent with the agreement's previously emphasized concept of Islamic unity. In an interview with Al Jazeera, she said, "The Mecca Defense Agreement may, for the first time, be framed as the defense of Islamic land, rather than revolving around the Israeli threat in Gaza or Palestine, which would have been a more obvious narrative." She added, "Framed by the Houthi threat as the agreement's first action, it is not necessarily beneficial to the agreement's long-term brand image and public perception." She pointed out, "Even if the target is not Israel or Western countries, it is still ultimately aimed at a Muslim country and a Muslim nation, which makes the relevant actions controversial and more complex." The Houthi rebels are Zaidi Shia Muslims and are supported by Iran. Akkas stated that this background complicates the agreement's claim of being open to other members in the future. She said, "When you say the agreement is open to other participants, but the first real target is an Iranian proxy force, what does this mean for the future direction of the agreement? How will it ultimately end?"
