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AWhen the Emirates announced in August that they would establish diplomatic relations with Israel, it was a sensation in several ways. Only two Arab states had previously recognized Israel, Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. By doing so, the Emirates broke the rule stated by the Arab League that normal relations with Israel could not exist before the country withdrew from the occupied territories and a Palestinian state was founded.
But there are more fundamental considerations behind the deal with Israel, says Anwar Gargash, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates. “We also look at the matter from the perspective of tolerance. There is this Islamist narrative that excludes others and creates conflicts throughout the region, and which emerged from 1979, with the war in Afghanistan, the occupation of the Great Mosque in Mecca by fundamentalists and the revolution in Iran. “
One wonders whether it is just this demonstrative idealism that drives Emirates policy, or rather certain profit expectations. The truth is that they also risked something by approaching Israel. At least the anger of many Arabs. Gargash does the same when speaking out on the current dispute over terrorism, freedom of speech and Islam that has developed between Europe and the Muslim world since the attacks in France. And he spoke clear words towards Turkey under President Erdogan.
