Sometimes celebrated, sometimes condemned, the announcement of an agreement to normalize relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel has provoked a rain of reactions, all over the world. If the first concerned hailed the start of a "daring step" or the opening of a "new era", enthusiasm is far from unanimous among neighboring states. Overview of the main reactions from around the world.

  • An agreement hailed by Europe and the United States

The deal is nothing more than a "spectacular breakthrough," commented US President Donald Trump, calling the normalization a "historic peace agreement between our two great friends." "The United States hopes that this bold step will be the first in a series of agreements ending 72 years of hostilities in the region," said the head of American diplomacy, Mike Pompeo.

Same enthusiasm on the other side of the Atlantic. France welcomed the agreement and the "decision taken in this context" by Israel to "suspend the annexation of Palestinian territories". "The new state of mind shown by these announcements must now allow the resumption of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians with a view to the establishment of two States (...)". The Israeli annexation project, the suspension of which has been announced, "is not however ruled out definitively", qualified the American ambassador to Israel.

London welcomes for its part "a historic step which sees the normalization of relations between two great friends of the United Kingdom". "In the end, there is no substitute for direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, only solution to achieve a two-state solution and lasting peace, ”said British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab. 

  • An effort for stability, according to Egypt and Bahrain

"The kingdom welcomes the diplomatic efforts of the United Arab Emirates. This historic step will help to strengthen stability and peace in the region," said the official Bahrain News Agency.

A point of view shared by Egypt. "I appreciate the efforts of the architects of this agreement for the prosperity and stability of our region", tweeted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, welcoming "a step" towards "achieving peace in the Middle -East". Egypt is a signatory, also under Washington's tutelage, of the first peace treaty with the Hebrew state in 1979.

  • A condemnation of Palestine, Turkey and Iran

Unsurprisingly, Palestine condemns this agreement which it regards as "a betrayal of Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause", and calls for an "emergency meeting" of the Arab League. 

The agreement "does not serve the Palestinian cause" and constitutes a "blank check" for the continuation of the "occupation" by Israel, denounced, for its part, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, in power in the gang. Gaza.

The tone was just as harsh in Turkey, where the Turkish government accuses Abu Dhabi of "betraying the Palestinian cause" by agreeing to sign this agreement. "The United Arab Emirates are trying to present this as a kind of sacrifice for Palestine, while they betray the Palestinian cause to serve their small interests," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "History and the conscience of the peoples of the region will not forget this hypocrisy and will never forgive it", he added.

The reaction was just as strong on the side of Tehran. Iran has also condemned this agreement which it qualifies, through the voice of its foreign minister, "strategic stupidity of Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv". "The oppressed people of Palestine and all the free nations of the world will never forgive the normalization of relations with the occupier and the criminal regime of Israel and the complicity in the crimes of the regime," he added.

With AFP 

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