Israel signed historic diplomatic pacts with two Persian Gulf states Tuesday in a White House rite that President Donald Trump says will mark “that of a new Middle East,” presenting himself as a foreign peacemaker at the height of his re-election campaign.
The bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of Israel’s already unfrozen relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in keeping with their not unusual opposition to Iran. But the accords confront the decades-long confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians, who see the pacts as a stab in the back from fellow Arabs and a betrayal of their cause by a Palestinian state.
Hundreds more people piled up on the sun-drenched south lawn to witness the signing of agreements in a festive environment not marked by the coronavirus pandemic, participants did not practice social distance and the maximum number of visitors did not wear masks.
“We’re here this afternoon to replace the course of history,” Trump said from a balcony overlooking the south garden. “After decades of department and conflict, we are marking that of a new Middle East. “
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the day “is an axis of history. This foreshadows a new peace. “
Neither Netanyahu nor Trump spoke about the Palestinians in their comments, but foreign ministers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain also did not talk about the importance of creating a Palestinian state.
The Emirati foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother of Abu Dhabi’s tough crown prince, even thanked Netanyahu for “stopping the annexation” of West Bank lands claimed through the Palestinians in exchange for the recognition of the Emirati. Netanyahu, however, insisted that Israel had suspended its plans to annex West Bank settlements.
“Today we are already witnessing a replacement in the middle of the Middle East, a replacement that will send hope to everyone,” al-Nahyan said.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani said Bahrain will support the Palestinians: “Today is a historic occasion in fact,” he said. A moment of hope and opportunity. “
But in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants fired two rockets at Israel, which was supposed to coincide with the ceremony. The Israeli army said the rockets were fired from Gaza and one was intercepted through air defenses. Early in the day, Palestinian activists staged small protests in the West Bank and Gaza, where they trampled and burned photographs of Trump, Netanyahu and the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Israel and the United States hope that the agreements can usher in a major replacement in the region if other Arab countries, namely Saudi Arabia, keep up, which may have implications for Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. So far, Israel has concluded peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan.
Other Arab countries suspected of being about to detect Israel are Oman, Sudan and Morocco.
“We are very complex with five other countries,” Trump told reporters before the ceremony.
Many Middle Eastern analysts and former officials, among others, have expressed doubts about the effect of firms.
In addition to bilateral agreements signed through Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, all 3 have signed a document called “Abraham’s Agreements” named after the patriarch of the world’s 3 major monotheists.
The “AbrahamIc Agreements” and the bilateral agreement signed through Israel and Bahrain involved more detailed formal treaties that are the diplomatic standard. Both documents were composed of general statements that promise to advance diplomacy, mutual cooperation and regional peace.
The most detailed agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Countries agreed to approve bilateral agreements in 15 areas of mutual interest, adding finance, trade, aviation, energy, telecommunications, health, agriculture and water.
During the signing ceremony, the leaders sat at a long table where President Harry S. Truman used to have weekly lunches with his office. Discussions on the Truman Doctrine to curb Soviet expansion, the Cold War, and the Marshall Plan to send billions of financial aid to Western Europe after World War II took a position at the table.
The scenery, which added live music and flags, was intended to evoke previous chords in the Middle East. Trump’s political supporters seek their position as a seed just seven weeks before Election Day. So far, foreign policy has not played a major role. in a crusade ruled by coronavirus, racial problems and the economy.
In addition to Republicans, some House Democrats attended the event, a remarkable progression at a time when its leader, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaks mildly to the president. Many Democrats, adding presidential candidate Joe Biden, the deal.
“It is smart to see others in the Middle East detecting Israel and even welcoming it as a partner. “Biden said in a statement released Wednesday night: “A Biden-Harris administration will build on those steps, challenge other countries to stay at speed, and work to build on the links they are developing to move toward a two-state solution and a stronger, non-violent region. . “
Rep. Elaine Luria, a Democrat for Virginia, said she accepted the White House invitation without delay after receiving it over the weekend. “It’s definitely a monumental event, and the rite is very suitable for that,” Luria, a member of the Armed House Services Committee, said in an upcoming phone interview.
Like Luria, other Democrats present, such as Rep. Anthony Brindisi of New York, are freshmen in re-election careers, while others, such as Florida reps Ted Deutch and Stephanie Murphy, come from districts with large numbers of Jewish voters.
However, questions remain about the scope of the agreements. Even in Israel, where the agreements have been widely praised, there are fears that they may result in the sale of complicated weapons across the United States to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which could alter the military’s qualitative advantage. Israel in the region.
Trump has said he will sell army aircraft to the United Arab Emirates. Pelosi also praised the agreements, but said he sought to know more, namely what Trump’s management in the United Arab Emirates said about the acquisition of the U. S. -made F-35. Israel agreed to freeze efforts to annex parts of the West Bank.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have a history of suppressing dissent and critical public opinion, but there are indications that the agreements are as popular or well won as in Israel. Neither country has sent its head of state or government to signal the agreements with Netanyahu. .
Bahrain’s largest Shiite-dominated opposition group, Al-Wefaq, which the government ordered to dissolve in 2016 amid a year-old crackdown on dissent, said there is widespread rejection of normalization.
The rite followed months of complex international relations led by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, and the president’s envoy for foreign negotiations, Avi Berkowitz. On 13 August, the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates was announced. This followed the first direct advertising flight between countries, followed by the announcement on 11 September of the Bahrain-Israel agreement.