Normalization between Israel and Arabs

American Thinker.com ^ | September 16, 2020 | Michael Curtis

[Kaslin]

After a history of so many failed efforts to reach peace in the Middle East it is welcoming and gratifying that history is being made with arrangements that may be laying the foundation for peace, security, and prosperity in the region. These arrangements do not constitute a comprehensive peace plan that includes settling the Palestinian question, and it remains to be seen if and are “game-changers.” But they register a crucial change in Arab policies.

Hitherto, most Arab states, at least formally, have boycotted the State of Israel, saying they would only establish ties after the Palestinian dispute was settled. Now a remarkable shift has occurred, the UAE and Bahrain have joined Egypt and Jordan in ending their boycott, while Israel has suspended intentions to declare sovereignty over part of the occupied West Bank and is expanding its ties, which have been increasing since the Oslo Accords of 1993, with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world. The circle of peace is expanding, with Arab states aware of the danger of the camp of belligerents -- Iran, Turkey, and Hamas in Gaza.

The Trump administratin has brokered two important arrangements. On August 13, 2020, the White House announced that the United Arab Emirates, represented by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, usually known as MBZ, would end its boycott of Israel and would establish diplomatic ties with the state. On the historic day of 9/11 it was announced that Bahrain would normalize relations with Israel.

Negotiations between Israel and UAE have taken a while, beginning with talks first in Cyprus and then in Jerusalem. In 2018 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice visited Abu Dhabi, the Emirate capital, travelling on an Israeli flight that crossed Saudi Arabian airspace. The two sides realized they both had the same double enemy;

[SunkenCiv]

The first of two Saudis-in-the-street spilled one of the real views on the "Palestinians" among Saudi Arabs. The second one regurg'd the terrorist narrative but didn't sound like he was ready to volunteer for the "resistance".

TV7 - Israel-UAE-Bahrain sign accord; Saudi Arabia urges tolerance toward Jews - TV7 Israel News 15.09.20

• TV7 channel