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Trump sees the agreements he negotiated between Middle Eastern countries as an achievement in his foreign policy and a boost for his reelection campaign.. Allies of the US mandate hope the initiative will enhance the president’s credentials as a peacemaker, which would help him in the November 3 elections.
During his speech, he stated that other Arab countries are going to sign similar agreements. “It is an important day for the world,” he said twice.
In English, Netanyahu delivered a speech of thanks. He thanked Trump several times “for decisive leadership” and said the treaty is historic for the entire world.
He cited the possibility of expanding the treaty to other Arab states: “You heard from the president (Trump) that he is aligning himself with more and more countries. That was unimaginable a few years ago.”
The Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, delivered his speech in Arabic. He also thanked Trump and his secretaries.
Thanking Netanyahu, he cited the interruption of the annexation of Palestinian territories.
Abdullatif Al Zayani, the foreign minister of Bahren, was the last to speak, also thanking Trump, to whom he attributes the signing of the treaty.
Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of the two Arab countries, in addition to bilateral treaties, also signed a trilateral agreement. The negotiations are called the “Abrahamic Accords”, in honor of the patriarch of the three main monotheistic religions of the world.
About 700 guests attended the ceremony on the White House grounds. Among them were representatives of nations that supported the diplomatic corps in Washington, but few were sent from abroad. The Palestinian Authority called on Arab countries to boycott the event in Washington and called for protests.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain became the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt, in 1979, and Jordan, in 1994.
On August 13, the agreement was announced that provides for the full normalization of diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates in exchange for the suspension of the Israeli plan to annex Palestinian territories, although he admitted at the time that the plans are still on the table.
The negotiation was sealed in a phone call between Trump, Netanyahu and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed.
- Understand why the rapprochement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is important.
Guga Chacra comments on the agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel
US President Donald Trump presents the establishment of relations between Bahrain and Israel at the White House on Friday (11) – Photo: Andrew Harnik / AP Photo
Almost a month later, on September 11, the United States announced Bahrain’s rapprochement with Israel. As with the United Arab Emirates, the agreement will allow the normalization of diplomatic and commercial relations, among other areas.
Skeptics, including many longtime Middle East observers, expressed doubts about the impact of the accords and regretted ignoring the Palestinian position, according to the Associated Press.
Palestinians burn photos of US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in protest Tuesday ( 15) – Photo: Khalil Hamra / AP
The recent agreements have not been well received by Palestinian leaders, who fear losing support in territorial disputes. The rapprochement of the two Persian Gulf nations to the Jewish state was defined as a kind of “stab in the back” by Hamas, a group that controls the Gaza Strip.
Until then, the status quo in the Arab world was that relations between the Arab countries and Israel would only normalize after a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
Currently, two Arab countries are technically at war with the Jewish state: Syria and Lebanon.
The Palestinians, currently in conflict with Israel, are increasingly isolated, as evidenced by this change in attitude by the Gulf States.
There are rumors that other countries, such as Sudan, Oman and Morocco, could follow the example of the Emirates and Bahrain.
Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but since then, the Palestinians have seen increased Israeli control in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and the expansion of Israeli settlements in these two regions.
