Peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates: While Trump rejoices, Palestinian Authority denounces "betrayal" - 20 Minutes

The United Arab Emirates and Israel agreed on Thursday to normalize their relations, in a landmark deal brokered by the United States that, when signed, would make Abu Dhabi the only third Arab capital to follow this path since the creation of Israel.

As part of the agreement, Israel has pledged to "suspend" the annexation of new parts of the occupied West Bank, according to the Emirates. Since the announcement of this agreement this Thursday by Washington, the reactions are multiplying in the world. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thus logically hailed "a new era in relations between Israel and the Arab world". "In 1979, (Menachem) Begin signed peace with Egypt, in 1994 (Yitzhak) Rabin signed with Jordan and I have the merit of signing in 2020 the third peace agreement with an Arab country", he stressed during a televised speech.

"A daring step"

"Most countries will see this as a bold step towards achieving a two-state solution, giving time for negotiations," the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said at a press conference, adding that the two countries were going to open embassies in "not long".

But for the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, this agreement "does not serve the Palestinian cause" and constitutes a "blank check" for the continuation of the "occupation" by Israel, denounced the movement, in power in the Gaza Strip. . Even rejection on the part of the Palestinian Authority which calls for an "emergency meeting" of the Arab League. “The Palestinian leadership rejects what the United Arab Emirates has done. This is a betrayal of Jerusalem and of the Palestinian cause, ”Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority said in a statement.

"Stupidity" and "betrayal"

For its part, the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the agreement as "strategic stupidity of Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv", adding that it would strengthen "the axis of resistance in the region", in reference to the allies. from Tehran to the Middle East. Same anger in Turkey where the Turkish Foreign Ministry evokes "a betrayal" of the United Arab Emirates. "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."

On the other hand, in Egypt, the agreement is welcomed. "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 the "achievement of peace in the Middle -Orient ”. Egypt is a signatory, also under the tutelage of Washington, of the first peace treaty with the Hebrew state in 1979.

On the European continent, too, we are pleased with the state of mind which has enabled progress towards a normalization of relations between the two States as in Paris, where we hope that "The new state of mind to which these announcements testify must henceforth allow the resumption of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians with a view to the establishment of two States (…) ”. Ditto in the United Kingdom where the head of British diplomacy, Dominic Raab, hails "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, the only solution to achieve a two-state solution and lasting peace ”. This agreement could create "an opportunity for the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume substantial negotiations, leading to a two-state solution in accordance with UN resolutions on the matter," also said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

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Middle East: Trump announces "historic peace deal" between Israel and United Arab Emirates

  • Israelo-Palestinian conflict
  • Israel
  • Palestine
  • Middle East
  • World