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“Israel”, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed peace accords in Washington today (yesterday), heralding a new era of friendship between the wealthy Gulf states and the Jewish state..
“Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to Washington to attend the White House ceremony, along with his counterparts from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain..
Donald Trump, the US president who oversaw the negotiations, has praised the “historic advance” of his “great friends” in the region, which he hopes will strengthen his foreign policy credentials before the November elections..
But other Middle Eastern countries, especially Iran and Turkey, strongly condemned the deal, which they believe causes a disaster for the “Israeli” Palestinian conflict and could damage their regional ambitions..
Here we take a look at how the so-called “Abraham” deal will change the Middle East, and who will emerge from the historic deal as the main winner and loser..
“Israel”
Arguably, the Jewish state will benefit from these agreements more than any other country..
Since inception, the deals have launched dozens of trade deals in the country’s aviation, tourism and high-tech industries, with direct flights scheduled to start from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi..
The “Abraham” deals should enhance Netanyahu’s reputation at home as he faces massive protests against his leadership, a lengthy corruption trial and a harsh second wave of the Coronavirus..
But more importantly, the state of achieving peace with two Arab states, following similar agreements in the past with Egypt and Jordan, makes Israel less isolated in a hostile region..
For years, “Israel” cooperated on security issues with Bahrain and the UAE under the radar, including secret visits by senior members of the “Mossad” intelligence agency..
Now the security relationship could continue publicly, with concerns about Iran’s growing regional influence as an important area of common ground..
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, a former “Israeli” diplomat predicted that a peace deal could result in
The end of a NATO-like alliance against Iran.
United Arab Emirates and Bahrain
The United Arab Emirates, a small, oil-rich country in the Persian Gulf, has high ambitions to become a major political power in the Middle East..
This agreement will give credibility to this goal, but Emirati officials confirm that they also obtained a significant concession from “Israel” regarding the Palestinian issue..
Earlier this year, “Israel” announced that it would annex up to 30 percent of the West Bank, prompting a storm of criticism from Palestinians and world leaders, including (British Prime Minister) Boris Johnson..
But the UAE says they were able to persuade “Israel” to postpone this step for several years, in exchange for a full diplomatic relationship and the promotion of trade..
The Telegraph understands that Bahrain feels it also deserves praise for persuading Israel to postpone annexation, and that this was one of the main factors that brought the Gulf countries to the negotiating table..
Iranian influence is a source of particular concern for Bahrain, as Iran claimed until 1969 that Bahrain was part of its territory. While Bahrain has a Sunni Muslim leadership, there are concerns that the majority of the Shiite population could be used as a pawn by Iran to destabilize the country..
The UAE also hopes that this agreement will dispel the idea that its foreign policy is controlled by Saudi Arabia, which has said it is not ready to normalize relations with “Israel.”.
Analysts suspect, however, that the UAE privately asked Saudi Arabia for permission before taking the bold – and in some quarters – controversial step to embrace “Israel.”.
United States of America
With the US election looming in a few weeks, President Trump is looking for any opportunity to present himself as a foreign policy genius..
And since the agreement will greatly benefit “Israel”, it must be in keeping with the Republican right and Trump’s evangelical Christian base, who regard “Israel” as the guardian of the Holy Land..
Last week’s joint announcement with Bahrain was the third time the president acted as a peacemaker in the past month..
In addition to the agreement with the UAE in August, it also reached an agreement between former Balkan rivals Kosovo and Serbia, who agreed to normalize their business relationship..
The gift of normalization with Arab countries will also deepen the president’s friendship with Netanyahu, his most valuable security partner in the region, along with Saudi King Salman..
And if that wasn’t enough, the “Abraham” deal also resulted in Trump being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize..
Palestinian Authority
One of the strongest demands of the Palestinian leadership is that Arab peace with “Israel” is not achieved until after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state..
By normalizing relations with “Israel”, both the Emirates and Bahrain have reversed that strategy and enraged Mahmoud Abbas, the 84-year-old Palestinian leader..
The UAE’s announcement in August and the subsequent Bahrain deal last week sparked protests in the West Bank and Gaza, with the UAE flag burned and the leaders of both countries condemned..
From a Palestinian perspective, the recent Trump deal undermined their negotiating position in the Arab world, and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain now indicate that they want to take an entirely different path to ensure peace..
Indeed, there is desperation among the Palestinians to obtain their status, especially after the announcement of the annexation attempt earlier in the year..
But while their leaders know that they are unlikely to ever be convinced of President Trump, the perceived loss of support from the UAE and Bahrain has seriously hurt them..
For their part, the two Gulf states insist that their support for the Palestinian cause remains as strong as ever, pointing out that postponing annexation is a huge benefit to the Palestinians that can only be achieved through talks with “Israel.”.
Iran
Due to sanctions and the growing protest movement, Iran’s leaders must now face an emerging coalition of the United States and “Israel,” the archenemy and the increasingly powerful Gulf states..
Iran denounced the peace accords with “Israel” and described them as “strategic stupidity”. The rhetoric is strong, but it has yet to be followed by retaliation against the UAE, such as the severing of diplomatic ties..
“The Iranian leadership has always preferred peace, not tension, especially with its neighbors,” a senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency in August.“.
He added: “We always act in the national interests of Iran. Tehran will not take any aggressive action as long as its interests are not at risk.”“.
Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the fighter president of Turkey, likes to see himself as the main hero of the Palestinian cause, as reflected in his intimate relationship with Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas..
So it was not surprising when he, too, condemned the UAE’s decision and threatened to withdraw its ambassador in Abu Dhabi..
Erdogan said the deal was a “backstabbing” for the Palestinians, adding: “The movement against Palestine is not a step that can be tolerated.”“.
Turkey’s relationship with the United States is less hostile than Iran’s, but there are serious tensions due to the recent decision by the NATO member to buy Russian fighter jets. S-400 (The error comes from the source, and what is meant is anti-missiles, not fighters).
Now, with the United States, Israel, the Emirates and Bahrain converging, and with the possibility that Saudi Arabia is ready to formally join this alliance in the future, the Turkish leader may feel isolated..
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Original address: The main winners and losers of Israel’s peace accords with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain
Writer: James rothwell
Source: The Telegraph
Date: September 15, 2020
