In-depth: UAE-Israel deal

In-depth: UAE-Israel deal Tel Aviv The United Arab Emirates and Israel have signed a peace agreement, encouraged by the US, which may affect the fate of Palestine and Arab politics. The agreement was applauded by US President Donald Trump, Israel President Binyamin Netanyahu, and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE. The big deal Israel president Netanyahu had woven to annex the West Bank. With the deal, the UAE will establish diplomatic relations with Israel in return for President Netanyahu committing to give up a stated plan to annex the West Bank, the main territory of a state that the Palestinians want. It is expected that the delegations from the two countries will meet to set in motion bilateral ties in investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, tech, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment, etc. On priority, Israel and UAE will work together to find a treatment and a vaccine for Covid-19. The background The UAE became the third Arab nation to recognise Israel after Egypt (in 1979) and Jordan (1994). After Israel was formed in 1984, Arab countries, including Egypt, Transjordan, Syria and Iraq, fought their first war with the new nation. The war ended with Israel capturing more territories, including West Jerusalem, than what the UN Partition Plan originally proposed for a Jewish state. After that, Israel and Arab states fought three more major wars — the 1956 Suez conflict, the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. After the 1967 war, Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan and the Golan Heights from Syria. But in 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty, as part of which Israel withdrew from Sinai in return for Egyptian recognition. Jordan too abandoned its claims to the West Bank and said it would accept a deal between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel. It recognised Israel in 1994. The geopolitical changes Arab countries have now made their peace with Israel’s occupation with Palestine. The only thing they want is the status quo. That Israel should stop annexing any more Palestine land. The Trump administration has an important role in these accords. Trump is close to both Netanyahu and Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Though Saudi did not openly say anything about the peace deal, it’s obvious that the UAE has Saudi approval. This also makes the bloc stronger against Shia-dominates Iran which is also anti America. Though Turkey too supports the Palestinian cause, it’s still unclear how much of assistance it can give to them. What about Palestine? The peace deal gives nothing to the Palestine cause or its people. Israel did not give anything conclusive in return in the deal. Netanyahu had just made a threat to annex the West Bank, and now the UAE has recognised the country. The Palestines were caught unawares and see this treaty as breach of trust by the Arab world.