‘Historic day’ lauded as Israel and UAE strike fresh peace deal
● Gulf state accused of a ‘stab in the back’ by angry Palestinians
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the announcement that full diplomatic ties will be established with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ushered in a “new era” in Israel’s relations with the Arab world.
In a nationally broadcast statement delivered yesterday, Mr Netanyahu said the “full and official peace” with the UAE would lead to co-operation in many spheres between the countries and a “wonderful future” for citizens of both countries.
Among Arab nations, only Egypt and Jordan have active diplomatic ties with Israel.
Egypt made a peace deal with Israel in 1979, followed by Jordan in 1994.
US president Donald Trump tweeted a statement from the countries, acknowledging the deal. He then told reporters in the Oval Office that it was “a truly historic moment”.
“Now that the ice has been broken I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates,” he said.
The recognition grants a rare diplomatic win to Mr Trump ahead of the November election as his efforts to see an end to the war in Afghanistan have yet to come to fruition while efforts to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians have made no headway. Israel and the UAE also have been among Mr Trump’s closest foreign allies.
For Israel, the announcement comes after years of boasting by Mr Netanyahu that his government enjoys closer ties to Arab nations than publicly acknowledged. Mr Netanyahu has sought to build settlements on lands sought by the Palestinians and embraced a Trump proposal that would allow him to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank while granting Palestinians limited autonomy in other areas.
For the UAE, home to skyscraper-studded Dubai and the oil-rich sand dunes of Abu Dhabi, it further burnishes its international campaign to be seen as a beacon of tolerance in the Middle East despite being governed by autocratic rulers. It also puts the UAE out first in a regional recognition race among neighbouring Gulf Arab states.
And for the Palestinians, who long have relied on Arab backing in their struggle for independence, the announcement marked both a win and setback. While yesterday’s deal halts Israeli annexation plans, the Palestinians have repeatedly urged Arab governments not to normalise relations with Israel until a peace agreement establishing an independent Palestinian state is reached.
“Israel got rewarded for not declaring openly what it’s been doing to Palestine illegally & persistently since the beginning of the occupation,” senior Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi wrote on Twitter. She also said the UAE has come forward with its “secret dealings/normalization with Israel”. The militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, called the deal by the Emiratis “a stabbing in the back of our people”.
Mr Netanyahu tweeted an Israeli flag with a short message in Hebrew: “Historic Day.”