UAE and Israel can build on a year of normality
Scientific cooperation is on
the rise between growing numbers
of academic and research
institutions
With the anniversary of the Abraham Accords fast approaching, the visit of Israel’s foreign minister Yair Lapid to the UAE this month was both timely and symbolic of the rapid pace at which relations between the two countries are developing.
From complete rejection by all countries in the region, Israel has gradually gained acceptance, initially by two of the countries with which it had fought several wars, signing first a peace agreement with Egypt in 1979 and then with Jordan in 1994. These peace agreements, which established and maintained diplomatic relations, are still based solely on common strategic interests, are extremely limited in civilian engagement, and haven’t led to warming of relations between the countries’ populations.
There was a very different feeling right from the outset about the normalizing of relations between the UAE and Israel. It was as if a valve had been opened, releasing much stored enthusiasm for fulfilling the full strategic, economic and cultural potential of the two countries’ relationship, and also paving the way for the rest of the Gulf region to follow suit at their own pace.
That Israel and the UAE have never been in a direct conflict also contributed to the easy transition to full diplomatic relations, as well as the incremental approaches to first building economic ties in areas such as the diamonds, agriculture and water sectors, and then allowing for a limited diplomatic presence by for instance opening a mission to the UN’s renewable energy agency in Abu Dhabi. It was under the UN’s auspices, but nevertheless there was a sign and a flag in full view that legitimized an Israeli presence in the UAE. This was followed by visits from high-ranking officials that were supposed to be unannounced but in fact were an open secret. By the time the Abraham Accords were signed not only were the political, security and economic elites ready for it, but civil society and ordinary citizens were curious and eager to discover what normalization of relations meant for them.
The question of whether relations between Israel and the UAE should remain shrouded in secrecy was never about any outstanding differences between them, but about the absence of a fair and just peace with the Palestinians and the ongoing Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the blockade of
Gaza. According to the 2002 Beirut Declaration, which was inspired by the Saudi peace initiative, normalization of relations between Israel and the region was intended to follow a peace agreement with the Palestinians. In the absence of any resolution to the Israeli– Palestinian conflict, however, commonality of interests between Israel and GCC countries started to take precedence, thus reversing the paradigm of peace first and normalization to follow, but until last year without official normalization.
This enabled the development of closer ties, but with obvious limitations and constraints and at a slower pace. Initially, cooperation on security and intelligence sharing was aimed at containing Iran’s nuclear and regional ambitions, and tackling radicalization — both major incentives that drew both countries closer together. In the immediate aftermath of the Abraham Accords, the Trump administration, which played a crucial role in helping this agreement to materialize, authorized the sale of 50 advanced F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, upgrading its military capability and status in the region and giving the UAE a strategic edge.
The other side of the flourishing IsraelUAE ties has been a flurry of economic activity especially in agricultural products and technology, as well in as mechanical and medical equipment and petroleum by-products, all estimated to be worth more than $350 million this year. Scientific cooperation is also on the rise between growing numbers of academic and research institutions. Moreover, despite the current pandemic more than 200,000 Israeli tourists have traveled to the UAE, taking advantage of the newly available flights between the two countries. Rather impressive for a first year of normalized relations.
With the Abraham Accords, the conditionality of the nature and speed of cooperation between the UAE and Bahrain, and later Morocco and Sudan, on peace with the Palestinians was severed. How this is going to affect relations between Israel and the Palestinians remains to be seen, though at least it has helped avert the threat of Israel annexing nearly one third of the West Bank. And for now, Israel–UAE relations have withstood the test of confrontation in Jerusalem and war in Gaza.
The trajectory of Israeli–UAE relations is of building further on a successful first year of normalized relations. These have passed the first test of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, but it is inevitable that more are around the corner. During Lapid’s visit, both sides repeatedly spoke about the need for peace in the region, and declared that in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, the UAE can play a central role together with other GCC countries. If this happens it will contribute immensely to regional stability and see Israeli–GCC relations maturing and reaching their full potential.