Daily Times

In a well-orchestrated diplomatic coup Israel ” normalized ” its relations with the United Arab Emirate , which is a loose federation of six Emirates Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah , Ajman, Umm Al Khaimah and Fujairah . The agreement between Israel and UAE was announced by US President Trump at white House. President Trump termed the deal “Huge Breakthrough” and a ” historic peace agreement between our two Great Friends ” . The agreement was also lauded by Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for 2020 US Presidential Elections, who called the agreement ” brave and badly needed . He however added that he would not support Israeli annexation of West Bank Territory , should he win the Presidency ” .

Jared Koshner, the son-in-law of President Trump , who was deeply involved in the negotiations , which reportedly have been going on for about a year and half , said that another country is also likely to join the agreement in the coming days . There are press reports of Bahrain and probably Oman also joining the agreement for normalization of relations with Israel. The Israeli officials describe the agreement to be known as ” Abraham Accord” and is the first of its kind since Israel and Jordan signed a “Peace Treaty” with Jordan in 1994. The UAE Ambassador to US Yousuf Alotaiba termed the agreement ” a win for diplomacy and for the region ” and a ” significant advance in Arab -Israeli relations that lowers tension and creates new energy for positive change” . He further added that the move “immediately stops annexation and the potential for violent escalation .It maintains the viability of a two state solution as endorsed by the Arab league and international community .It creates new dynamics and possibilities in the peace process ” .

Egypt and Jordan, two countries which have already signed peace deals with Israel have supported the agreement . However Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas while rejecting the agreement said he ” rejects and denounces the surprising announcement by Isreal , the USA and UAE’ and called it a ” betrayal of Jerusalem , Al Aqsa , and the Palestinian Cause.

The pro Israeli western countries have been goading Gulf Countries to shun the public fear and recognize Israel. The Trump administration gave a special assignment to Mr Jared Koshner, the son in law of President Trump and an ethenic Jew, to broker a Big Middle East Deal

The PLO Executive committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi condemned the agreement on twitter she said ” Israel got rewarded for not declaring openly what it’s been doing to Palestine illegally and persistently , since the beginning of the occupation . The UAE has come out in the open on its secrete dealings/ normalization with Israel. Please don’t do us favour , We are

Nobody’s Fig Leaf ” sheem phasised .

Iran has condemned the agreement terming it “Shameful” as reported by Revolutionary Guard News Agency Tasnim.

Turkish President Recep Tayyab Erdagon said that Turkey was mulling suspension of Diplomatic ties with UAE over its Agreement with Israel, although Turkey has Diplomatic relations with Israel, but the Turkey and UAE are fighting a tug of war over control of oil rich regions in Libya by supporting opposing Militias involved in Civil war in that war torn country.

We will examine briefly the political and diplomatic triggers for this “normalization” of Israel -UAE relations. The Israel political identity was foisted on the Palestinian land as a follow up of a statement issued on November 2, 1017 , by the British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour . The declaration ostensibly was made to garner Jewish support for the allied efforts in the First World War . The Zionists’ dream of establishing a Jewish state on Palestinian land , which the Jews called as Judea , was realised on May 14 ,1948. Since that time the Jewish state one of its kind formed on the two millennia old irredentist ethno-religious claim , has been seeking international legitimacy particularly legitimacy from Arab and Muslim countries, who had opposed the creation of Jewish state on the Palestinian lands , and occupation of Jeroslum and Al Quds

The first breakthrough was a peace agreement between Israel and Egypt in September 1978 in Camp David USA and the Kingdom of Jordan in 1994.

After the demolition of Iraq and Syria who under strong men Saddam Hussain and Hafizul Assad respectively were part of what was termed as Stead Fast Front against Zionist Israel , the balance of power in the Middle east has completely tilted in favour of Israel . The pro Israeli western countries have been goading Gulf Countries to shun the public fear and recognize Israel. The Trump administration gave a special assignment to Mr Jared Koshner, the son in law of President Trump and an ethenic Jew ,to broker a Big Middle East Deal . Several Economic incentives were provided for Palestinians and others who wanted to support this New Middle East Deal. Contrary to President Trump’s claim of being a great deal maker he could not sell his” Big Deal ” to stakeholders in the Middle east. It therefore appears the Israel-UAE “normalization agreement” is meant to fill the Trump Foreign Policy Scorecard with a major Foreign Policy achievement for the forthcoming Presidential Elections in the US in November 2020 . The agreement is also a face saving for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyaho who had set a deadline of June/ July 2020 to annex the West Bank , which could have triggered further tensions in the volatile Middle East.

Since the agreement has out rightly been rejected by Palestinian Leadership , and has been termed as ” fig leaf” for UAE to make public its hitherto secret wheeling dealings with the Jewish state , so its potential to help resolve Palestinian issue is almost zero.

The agreement has shown once again the high level of diplomatic and political leverage the USA has over these potentially vulnerable Sheikhdoms , lacking political ,Military , and now Economic resilience .

The tensions in the Gulf Region are likely to accentuate since, an anti Iran axis consisting of USA -Israel- GCC-would further consolidate and could become more belligerent towards Iran. . The agreement would further weaken Arab/ Muslim world political capacity to defend Palestinian and other Muslim Political issues /causes including Kashmir issue .

The writer is former Ambassador of Pakistan to Vietnam