UAE First to Strike Deal with Isreal
In a move that has angered the Palestinians, the United Arab Emirates have struck a deal with the government of Israel to begin normalising relations.
A talk between the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) was brokered by the US President Donald Trump in what is being called an “historic” event and a “breakthrough toward peace”. The idea behind the deal is to suspend Israel’s plans of annexing parts of the West Bank.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian President of State Mahmoud Abbas claimed the deal to be “treason”, recalling the Palestinian Ambassador to the UAE.
This is only the third peace deal that has ever been struck between Israel and an Arab country including Israel’s declaration of Indepence (1948), and the Egypt deal in 1979; Mauritania tried establishing a deal with Israel in 1999 but it got frozen almost 11 years ago in 2009.
It is being considered historic due to the fact that the Middle Eastern country has not had diplomatic relations with any Gulf Arab countries before.
It was the worry over Iran that led towards the two countries to begin and develop unofficial contact and then finally declare it officially as of last week.
During the coming weeks, it is reported by the BBC that a signing ceremony will take place at the White House to formalise relations. The deal will include investment, direct flights, security, tourism, technology, telecommunications, healthcare, environmental, energy, culture, an establishment of reciprocal embassies, and other mutually benefitting areas of interest. Israel is also being expected to “suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined”
UK considers this a “welcome step” towards peace and Egypt welcomes the deal, but Palestine condemns it while Iran calls it “shameful” and Gaza considers it a “(stab) in the back” of their people.
Credit: BBC, IRNA, Daily Pakistan