Israel normalizes relations with some Gulf States, Sudan & Morocco [#288]

[Greenstorm]

Pakistan already does that.

What has Pakistan done for Arabs who are dying in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya? Nothing. Same thing with Muslims in Myanmar, Darfur, Philippines, Chechnya, Western Sahara.

Palestine is a holy land for Muslims, so thats why Pakistanis care about that.

None of those Arab countries are democracies. If they were they would break all relations with Israel.

Pakistanis care for every Muslim. Pakistan state used to lead ummat and helped our brethren when we used to be relatively strong. Decades of corruption has weakened Pakistani state which has damaged our cause but that desire is still there.

 

[Greenstorm]

Why? What benefit would they get? Its not like Pakistan is threatening them that they need a peace deal with Pakistan.

Pakistan (only country with 'Islamic bomb') accepting Israel will be a big deal for them.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Pakistan (only country with 'Islamic bomb') accepting Israel will be a big deal for them.

If we used the bomb on Israel, we are basically killing every Palestinian, and destroying Jerusalem. I dont think the Palestinians want us to nuke them.

 

[Greenstorm]

If we used the bomb on Israel, we are basically killing every Palestinian, and destroying Jerusalem. I dont think the Palestinians want us to nuke them.

When did I talk about using bomb . Pakistan is the most important nation in Muslim world after Turkey. Our recognition means a lot to them and that is why they are desperately trying since 90s.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Pakistanis care for every Muslim.

This is true.

Pakistan state used to lead ummat and helped our brethren when we used to be relatively strong. Decades of corruption has weakened Pakistani state which has damaged our cause but that desire is still there.

Pakistan is too weak to do anything to help other Muslims.

If the Muslim Kings who ruled North India for 600 years did a better job in spreading Islam, especially to the low caste Hindus who are the majority, then Uttar Paresh, Bihar, West Bengal, East Punjab would all be Muslim majority today. Then you would be looking at maybe a 700 million population Muslim country, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. That country might have been in a position to help other Muslims.

 

[Greenstorm]

This is true.




Pakistan is too weak to do anything to help other Muslims.

If the Muslim Kings who ruled North India for 600 years did a better job in spreading Islam, especially to the low caste Hindus who are the majority, then Uttar Paresh, Bihar, West Bengal, East Punjab would all be Muslim majority today. Then you would be looking at maybe a 700 million population Muslim country, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. That country might have been in a position to help other Muslims.

Those kings were never interested in spreading Islam.

Population or numbers isn't the issue. We just need to get our economy back on track to help out ummat.
Pakistanis, despite many of their own issues have managed to help Turks, Indonesians, Afghan, Chechen, Bosnians, North Africans, Palestenians. We train Army's of the gulf and are protectors of Hijaaz.

Just imagine what an economically thriving Pakistan can achieve for ummat.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Those kings were never interested in spreading Islam.

Population or numbers isn't the issue. We just need to get our economy back on track to help out ummat.
Pakistanis, despite many of their own issues have managed to help Turks, Indonesians, Afghan, Chechen, Bosnians, North Africans, Palestenians. We train Army's of the gulf and are protectors of Hijaaz.

Just imagine what an economically thriving Pakistan can achieve for ummat.

Yes this needs to be the focus. Focus on Pakistan, and Pakistanis. After Pakistanis are prospering, only then, can you think of anyone else.

 

[Adil_94]

Funny to see so many Pakistanis here drinking the Kool Aid of Erdogan. He is a very clever n astute politician . Israel and Turkey trade this year has been tens of billions. their relationship is very strong still . They have military co operation security everything. But erdogan has cleverly managed to try shame UAE for normalising ties with Israel. He is the master of making public statements but behind closed doors he operates very differently

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=148149]Gharib Aadmi[/MENTION] it would be a huge psychological coup n vvictory for them if Pakistan makes peace. A state that has been against Israel since its creation with one of the strongest armies in the Muslim world and nukes. If Pakistan recognosed Israel it would be a huge blow to Palestinians to lose a strong Muslim ally n would isolate the Palestinians even more. Ofc its not as big a priority as getting arab states to recognise them as Pakistan and Israel have no geographical border or conflict but they would definitely jump at the chance to sign a peace deal with Pakistan [MENTION=148149]Gharib Aadmi[/MENTION]

 

[uberkoen]

Pakistanis care for every Muslim. Pakistan state used to lead ummat and helped our brethren when we used to be relatively strong. Decades of corruption has weakened Pakistani state which has damaged our cause but that desire is still there.

If you believe that you are truly delusional.

Why are people condemning UAE government over its recognition of Israel due to Palestine but stay silent when it comes to China's treatment of Uyghurs?

 

[uberkoen]

Funny to see so many Pakistanis here drinking the Kool Aid of Erdogan. He is a very clever n astute politician . Israel and Turkey trade this year has been tens of billions. their relationship is very strong still . They have military co operation security everything. But erdogan has cleverly managed to try shame UAE for normalising ties with Israel. He is the master of making public statements but behind closed doors he operates very differently

Erdogan is an idiot. Similar to the likes of Trump and IK. The sooner these countries get rid of these right wing nuts the better the world will be.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Erdogan is an idiot. Similar to the likes of Trump and IK. The sooner these countries get rid of these right wing nuts the better the world will be.

Agreed. The only good right wing nuts are Modi and Netenyahu who are protecting their people from terrorists.

 

[uberkoen]

Agreed. The only good right wing nuts are Modi and Netenyahu who are protecting their people from terrorists.

Another couple of idiots who are even bigger idiots than the ones mentioned earlier

 

[Firebat]

UAE says agreement with Israel is 'not directed at Iran'

The United Arab Emirates' agreement to normalise ties with Israel is a "sovereign decision" that was not directed at Iran, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said.

Israel and the UAE announced they were establishing full diplomatic relations in a US-brokered deal that will see Israel delay plans for annexation of land it already illegally occupies that is sought by the Palestinians for their future state.

"The UAE-Israeli peace treaty is a sovereign decision not directed at Iran. We say this and repeat it. We do not accept interference in our decisions," Gargash said on Twitter on Monday.

On Sunday, the UAE summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Abu Dhabi and gave him a "strongly worded memo" in response to a speech by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that the foreign ministry described as "unacceptable".

Speaking on Saturday, Rouhani said the UAE had made a "huge mistake" in reaching an agreement to normalise ties with Israel and called it a betrayal by the Gulf state.

The US-sponsored deal has been seen as firming up opposition to regional power Iran, which Gulf states, Israel and Washington view as the main threat in the conflict-riven Middle East.

On Sunday, the secretary-general of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council condemned "threats" by Rouhani and other Iranian officials towards the UAE over the accord.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted the annexation plans are only on "temporary hold" at the request of the US.

On Sunday, Israel's intelligence minister Eli Cohen told Army Radio that Bahrain and Oman could be the next Gulf countries to follow the UAE in formalising ties with Israel.

Israel signed peace agreements with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. But the UAE, along with most other Arab nations, has had no formal diplomatic or economic relations with it.

Oman maintains friendly ties with the US and Iran and has previously been a go-between for the two feuding countries.

A close ally of Saudi Arabia - which has not yet commented on the UAE-Israel accord - Bahrain hosted a senior Israeli official at a security conference in 2019 as well as a US-led conference on boosting the Palestinian economy as part US President Donald Trump's Middle East plan.

Government sources in Kuwait said its position towards Israel is unchanged, and it will be the last country to normalise relations, local newspaper al-Qabas reported.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/uae-israel-agreement-directed-iran-200817072023050.html

 

[Poseidon]

He was spot on.

 

[Firebat]

Netanyahu says Israel preparing for direct flights to UAE over Saudi Arabia

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel is preparing for direct flights, over Saudi Arabia, to the United Arab Emirates as part of its normalisation deal with the UAE.

Israel and the UAE announced on Thursday that they will normalise diplomatic relations under a U.S.-sponsored deal whose implementation could reshape Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran. The UAE would only be third Arab state in more than 70 years to establish relations with Israel.

Netanyahu, briefed at Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion airport on plans for expanding flight activity curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, gave no time frame for the opening of an air link with the Gulf Arab country.

“We are currently working on enabling direct flights, over Saudi Arabia, between Tel Aviv and Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” Netanyahu told reporters, estimating flight time at “about three hours, just like to Rome”.

Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel and its air space is closed to Israeli airliners. But in what was seen in Israel as a harbinger of warmer relations with Riyadh, Air India was allowed in 2018 to begin flying over Saudi territory on its New Delhi-Tel Aviv route.

At Ben-Gurion airport, Netanyahu said he saw “tremendous scope for bilateral tourism and gigantic scope for investment” with the UAE.

A delegation from Israel is expected to travel to the UAE within weeks to work out the modalities of normalised relations, but any swift opening of a commercial air route could be complicated by coronavirus restrictions.

On Sunday, the UAE opened telephone lines to Israel, a link inaugurated in a conversation between the two countries’ foreign ministers.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...lights-to-uae-over-saudi-arabia-idUSKCN25D1A4

 

[Greenstorm]

If you believe that you are truly delusional.

Why are people condemning UAE government over its recognition of Israel due to Palestine but stay silent when it comes to China's treatment of Uyghurs?

Pakistanis do condemn the treatment of Uyghur. Its a recent issue and people are not aware about it as much so that is why they are less vocal.

I hear regular dua for 'ummat-e-muslima' after every jumma prayer in almost every mosque I visit. You are calling me delusional but it seems like it is you who is out of touch with reality.

 

[Savak]

I wonder if this will allow Mossad a vehicle to step up their activities in Pakistan?

 

[KingKhanWC]

This couldn't be any further from the truth. They are persecuting the Uighuyrs (a race in China) and at least a million Muslims (who follow Islam as their religion). The Chinese are 100 times worse than Israel and India combined.

China is no friend of Pakistan, they have interests in Pakistan. In fact it wouldn't be unreasonable to say they own Pakistan if you look at CPEC and how much influence over our policies.

It's not about friendship with Israel. It's obvious what's going to happen in future. The rest of the Arab countries will follow UAE and also go on to hold full diplomatic ties with Israel. Saudis will probably be next.

Eventually, Pakistan will also follow suit. We need to stop following what Arabs do who do not care about Pakistan. This was very much evident from our stance on Kashmir. I don't recall a single Arab state who even vouched for Pakistan on this. Heck, even Palestine was on India's side. There is a common delusion among Muslims that we are all part of an Ummah. There is no Ummah because everyone holds their interests for themselves and time Pakistan did the same.

Pakistan is in poor financial health, so we cannot afford to hold a hostile approach. If Pakistan can trade with a tech giant Israel it will be for the greater good of our economy.

As a Hong Konger, I can confirm that you are a 100% wrong about China not persecuting people based on their religion.

Lol at China not persecuting based on religion )

Even Xi Jinpig would dispute that

The majority of Muslims in China are NOT being persecuted. Only those in an area which has a sepratist agenda are being targetted.

People need to learn the basic history of China, terrorism against the state has been ongoing for nearly a 100 years. China is only defending its land, how it sees fit. I dont like their methods but they are not an occupying power and this has nothing to do with religion.

 

[KingKhanWC]

This couldn't be any further from the truth. They are persecuting the Uighuyrs (a race in China) and at least a million Muslims (who follow Islam as their religion). The Chinese are 100 times worse than Israel and India combined.

China is no friend of Pakistan, they have interests in Pakistan. In fact it wouldn't be unreasonable to say they own Pakistan if you look at CPEC and how much influence over our policies.

It's not about friendship with Israel. It's obvious what's going to happen in future. The rest of the Arab countries will follow UAE and also go on to hold full diplomatic ties with Israel. Saudis will probably be next.

Eventually, Pakistan will also follow suit. We need to stop following what Arabs do who do not care about Pakistan. This was very much evident from our stance on Kashmir. I don't recall a single Arab state who even vouched for Pakistan on this. Heck, even Palestine was on India's side. There is a common delusion among Muslims that we are all part of an Ummah. There is no Ummah because everyone holds their interests for themselves and time Pakistan did the same.

Pakistan is in poor financial health, so we cannot afford to hold a hostile approach. If Pakistan can trade with a tech giant Israel it will be for the greater good of our economy.

As a Hong Konger, I can confirm that you are a 100% wrong about China not persecuting people based on their religion.

Lol at China not persecuting based on religion )

Even Xi Jinpig would dispute that

Even the Chinese govt have admitted "re-education" camps exist for Uighurs. They have released videos of people in these camps making them lookig like holiday camps. But we know what is actually going on these camps n how people are being forced to renounce their beliefs n religion. Idk how u can stay with a straight face that China arent discriminating against people based on ethnicity or religion. Embarrassing really to be bootlicking the CCP this much. At least admit its due to realpolitik n China being a top ally of Pakistan that the Uighur cause doesnt matter as much to u. But i suppose with your vociferous support for Palestinians and Kashmiris n others on here . You dont want to look like a hypocrite so best way is to bury your head in the sand and pretend the Uighur concentration camps are a myth .

Israel would love it if the worlds only nuclear armed Muslim state made peace with them. It would make life a lot easier for them if they had a friendly Pakistan. Saying "Jews" will never accept Pakistanis as friends is also a gross generalisation and anti-semitic
[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]

I never denied any camps but we dont know exactly what is going on. Some choose to believe the Chinese, others the Yanks/EU who have never set foot in area.

I cant understand why people cant comprehend something a child can.

China is not occupying anyone, so not comparable to Palestine or Kashmir. China is not perscuting on religion as the majority of Muslims in China are NOT Uyghur Muslims. On the contrary majority of Muslims live with more freedom than any other religons in China.

Israel is full of Zionist extremist Jews, not orthodox Jews(minority). These clowns dont even understand their own religion and bent into an extreme version, based on fascism. If it's anti-semitic according to you, not my problem tbh.

 

[Adil_94]

Lmao so because Hui Muslims arent being persecuted by the state govt its just Uighurs so that makes it fine. Firstly what the Chinese call Xinjiang was annexed by the CCP in 1949. Uighurs call it East Turkestan hence why there is a Uighur separatist movement that wants an independent state and freedom from Beijing n view Chinese control as an occupation much like the Kashmiris view India. China wants to portray all Uighur separatists as dangerous Islamist militants n radicals to justify their draconian measures n crushing of any dissent. Theres so many Uighur activists who have told stories of whats happened to their family members. N the fact these camps even exist is horrific. What would u say if British govt started to run camps like these for Muslims here. Or if they said its only for Syrian refugees so they learn how to be proper brits n learn our values . Would u be like oh well most muslims in the UK arent syrian refugees so its only a minority. Religious freedom in China is totally subordinate to the state. Xi Jinping has launched a campaign to try Sinicize "foreign" religions like Islam and Christianity that pose a threat to the CCP .

Also u didnt say Israelis dont want to be friends with Pakistanis. U said Jews. The average israeli cares much more about arabs iranians n even turks before they think about pakistanis. Its mostly Pakistanis who have strong views on Israeli Jews [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]

 

[Adil_94]

Lmao coz China is Pakistans ally n Pakistan is heavily reliant on them. Pakistans policy now is to stop begging from the west n to now ask big brother China to bail out the economy. Pakistan knows if it loses China as an ally its screwed. As India and US strengthen ties as well [MENTION=107753]uberkoen[/MENTION] . But many will bury their head in the sand

 

[KingKhanWC]

This couldn't be any further from the truth. They are persecuting the Uighuyrs (a race in China) and at least a million Muslims (who follow Islam as their religion). The Chinese are 100 times worse than Israel and India combined.

China is no friend of Pakistan, they have interests in Pakistan. In fact it wouldn't be unreasonable to say they own Pakistan if you look at CPEC and how much influence over our policies.

It's not about friendship with Israel. It's obvious what's going to happen in future. The rest of the Arab countries will follow UAE and also go on to hold full diplomatic ties with Israel. Saudis will probably be next.

Eventually, Pakistan will also follow suit. We need to stop following what Arabs do who do not care about Pakistan. This was very much evident from our stance on Kashmir. I don't recall a single Arab state who even vouched for Pakistan on this. Heck, even Palestine was on India's side. There is a common delusion among Muslims that we are all part of an Ummah. There is no Ummah because everyone holds their interests for themselves and time Pakistan did the same.

Pakistan is in poor financial health, so we cannot afford to hold a hostile approach. If Pakistan can trade with a tech giant Israel it will be for the greater good of our economy.

As a Hong Konger, I can confirm that you are a 100% wrong about China not persecuting people based on their religion.

Lol at China not persecuting based on religion )

Even Xi Jinpig would dispute that

Lmao so because Hui Muslims arent being persecuted by the state govt its just Uighurs so that makes it fine. Firstly what the Chinese call Xinjiang was annexed by the CCP in 1949. Uighurs call it East Turkestan hence why there is a Uighur separatist movement that wants an independent state and freedom from Beijing n view Chinese control as an occupation much like the Kashmiris view India. China wants to portray all Uighur separatists as dangerous Islamist militants n radicals to justify their draconian measures n crushing of any dissent. Theres so many Uighur activists who have told stories of whats happened to their family members. N the fact these camps even exist is horrific. What would u say if British govt started to run camps like these for Muslims here. Or if they said its only for Syrian refugees so they learn how to be proper brits n learn our values . Would u be like oh well most muslims in the UK arent syrian refugees so its only a minority. Religious freedom in China is totally subordinate to the state. Xi Jinping has launched a campaign to try Sinicize "foreign" religions like Islam and Christianity that pose a threat to the CCP .

Also u didnt say Israelis dont want to be friends with Pakistanis. U said Jews. The average israeli cares much more about arabs iranians n even turks before they think about pakistanis. Its mostly Pakistanis who have strong views on Israeli Jews [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]

The Peoples Republic of China came into existance in 1949 and all areas under it's control became this new nation(new name). Chinese ruled over this land long before this. If you're referring to the Soviet backed communist state, even then most of Xinjiang was under Chinese control. If you want to go back 70 years, you're opening a can of worms. Bottom line is TODAY Xinjiang is NOT occupied land, it belongs to China according to Int Law, this is a fact. China is against ALL religions which may have any ideology which may be a threat to them(if those practcing want their own land), Islam is no bigger enemy. If Islam was a threat, the majority of Chinese Muslims who are not Uyghurs would be persecuted but are amongst the most prosperious religous community in China.

Most Israeli's are Jews or am I wrong? Any Jew living in Israel who believes all of the holy land belongs to them and they have a right to settle as they wish are extremist of the highest nature. I've met many Israeli's , they dont like Pakistanis unless they are ignorant and never heard of the country.

Zionist Jews and Hindutva are two of the most extreme ideologies who have a fundemental hatred of Islam and Muslims. Chinese communism may be seen as extremist but nobody can argue it has a fundemental hatred of Islam and Muslims. Neither does Chinese culture as there were Muslim generals in the Chines army going back hundreds of years. Hindutva and Zionism cultures both want wiped out form Kashmir and the holy land. China only wants them to stop their sepratist terrorism.

As for Camps, again you have no clue what they are like. If it's as the Chinese are showing, they are not prison camps or places of tortures. If you want to accept the world of Yanks/EU etc who have destroyed and killed over 4 million Muslims in the last 20 years and who hate China, be my guest.

 

[uberkoen]

Pakistanis do condemn the treatment of Uyghur. Its a recent issue and people are not aware about it as much so that is why they are less vocal.

I hear regular dua for 'ummat-e-muslima' after every jumma prayer in almost every mosque I visit. You are calling me delusional but it seems like it is you who is out of touch with reality.

Yes, these regular dua's did so much for the Rohingya and totally saved them from the genocide. Please keep it up!

 

[Greenstorm]

Yes, these regular dua's did so much for the Rohingya and totally saved them from the genocide. Please keep it up!

You are shifting goalposts now.

 

[uberkoen]

Palestine gave Modi the Grand Collar of Palestine. This, despite knowing what he's done in Kashmir and knowing what India has been doing in Kashmir. Why do we have to act as saviors for Muslims across the globe and not look into our own self-interest?

People of Pakistan need to understand that there is no such thing as a Muslim Ummah. There will never be Khilafat again. Pakistan will not fight a war with Israel to save Palestine.

Each and every country looks after the interests of its own people and it's about time Pakistan started doing so as well.

 

[Adil_94]

Israelis use the same argument saying that an Independent Palestinian state has never existed in history. Which is true. Its just been a region that has been under the occupation of various empires going back to the Romans who actually gave it the name Palestine to humiliate the Jews after they were forced out of the Holy Land by them n they named after the Phillistines the Jews biggest enemies. Arabs havent controlled the land for at least 500 years. Palestinian national identity actually emerged in the 60s under the PLO and Arafat. Before that they just saw themselves as Arabs not any different to their Levantine neighbours. Israel also is a legitimate state according to international law. Only the settlements in the West Bank are seen as illegal. Do u accept the Israeli state as legitimate as per international law. The fact China haa such a hardline intolerant attitude to public religious expression is that not an issue for you. If u lived in China im sure u would have an issue with it. I understand that the EU and US have committed horrible acts of violence against Muslims n their expose of the treatment of Uighurs isnt out of sole humanitarianism its also part of their wider conflict with China for global supremacy. However that doesnt mean that China still isnt treating Uighurs terribly n violating their human rights.

China first denied that these camps even existed saying it was western propaganda then after so much evidence was leaked they then finally admitted they existed they even gave the BBC a tour of the camps that didnt exist.ut then said they were camps to eradicate religious extremism from Uighurs minds n not concentration camps.

Lets say we accept the chinese definition then that they are just re education camps. Bare in mind China regards Uighurs who grow beards or women who observe hijab and niqab as extremists If the UK govt decided to do this with say syrian muslims who had come as refugees and said they are seen to show signs of extremism because they have a beard n have hijab they could be affected by ISIS doctrine how would u react honestly ? [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53809345

 

[Adil_94]

Exactly the Palestinian leadership gave Modi garlands of flowers and didnt say anything about Palestine at all. They only care for Arab causes like most Arab peoples do. Not one Arab state has mentioned Kashmir to India. U never see any Arabs at Kashmir protests but u see tonnes of pakistanis at free palestine protests. This theykeydari has brought Pakistan nothing [MENTION=107753]uberkoen[/MENTION]

 

[uberkoen]

Exactly the Palestinian leadership gave Modi garlands of flowers and didnt say anything about Palestine at all. They only care for Arab causes like most Arab peoples do. Not one Arab state has mentioned Kashmir to India. U never see any Arabs at Kashmir protests but u see tonnes of pakistanis at free palestine protests. This theykeydari has brought Pakistan nothing [MENTION=107753]uberkoen[/MENTION]

Completely agree and your previous post was a brilliant one. Hope people read and learn something from all this.

 

[Firebat]

Jared Kushner urges Saudi to normalise ties with Israel

US president's son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner said on Monday that it would be in Saudi Arabia's interest to normalise ties with Israel as the UAE has agreed to do.

It would also weaken their common foe Iran's influence in the region and ultimately help the Palestinians, Kushner told reporters during a telephone briefing.

“It would be very good for Saudi business, it would very good for Saudi's defence, and, quite frankly, I think it would also help the Palestinian people,” Kushner said.

Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy, has been silent on Trump's surprise announcement last Thursday that the UAE — a close US and Saudi ally — and Israel had decided to normalise relations.

In return, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of occupied West Bank territories, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was not off the table in the long run.

Saudi King Salman and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had repeatedly expressed their desire for an independent Palestinian state with economic opportunities, Kushner said.

“What they basically said is that they [...] want to see the Palestinian people have a state and economic opportunities,” said Kushner, the architect of Trump's Middle East peace plan, which was wholly rejected by the Palestinians.

The landmark deal between UAE and Israel is only the third such accord the latter has struck with an Arab country, and raises the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.

Trump said leaders from the two countries would sign the agreement at the White House in the coming weeks.

Spoiler

Common enemy Iran

Saudi Arabia and Israel have a common enemy in Iran, which most Gulf countries have accused of supporting militant groups in the region.

“It is in the interest of a lot of these countries from a security point of view and from an economic point of view to have relations with Israel,” Kushner said.

“A lot of GCC countries want to have breakthroughs.

“The more that countries come together like Israel and the UAE [...] the harder it will be for Iran to divide and conquer.”

“If you think about the people who don't want Saudi Arabia and Israel to make a peace agreement, the number one opponent for that is going to be Iran,” said Kushner. “That shows that is probably the right thing to do.”

Last week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the UAE's decision to normalise ties with Israel was a “big mistake” and warned “against opening the path of Israel to the region”.

On Monday, Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of US Naval Forces in the Middle East, said he did not believe the recent UAE-Israel deal “heightens tension”.

“I think it is a tense region where partners need to operate closely together,” Malloy said in a telephone briefing.

Stance on US arms sales to Middle East not changed: Israel

Israel has not softened its opposition to any United States arms sales to the United Arab Emirates that could diminish its military superiority as part of the US-brokered normalisation of their ties, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday.

The statement followed a report in Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that the Trump administration planned a “giant” sale of advanced F-35 jets to UAE as part of the Gulf country's move last week to normalise ties with Israel.

The US Embassy in Jerusalem and representatives of the UAE government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Under understandings dating back decades, Washington has refrained from Middle East arms sales that could blunt Israel's “qualitative military edge” (QME). This has applied to the F-35, denied to Arab states, while Israel has bought and deployed it.

“In the talks [on the UAE normalisation deal], Israel did not change its consistent positions against the sale to any country in the Middle East of weapons and defence technologies that could tip the [military] balance,” Netanyahu's office said.

The Trump administration has signalled that UAE could clinch unspecified new US arms sales after last Thursday's normalisation announcement.

Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen, an observer in Netanyahu's security cabinet, said the decision-making forum had held no discussion about any changes to QME policy and that Israel had not agreed to any changes by the United States.

“Israel has not given its consent to coming along and changing the arrangement,” Cohen told public radio station Kan.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1575085/jared-kushner-urges-saudi-to-normalise-ties-with-israel

 

[Firebat]

Israel opposes any F-35 sale to UAE despite their warming ties

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel would oppose any U.S. F-35 warplane sales to the United Arab Emirates despite forging relations with the Gulf power, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, citing a need to maintain Israeli military superiority in the region.

The statement followed a report in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that the Trump administration planned a “giant” F-35 deal with the UAE as part of the Gulf country’s U.S.-brokered move last week to normalise ties with Israel.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and representatives of the UAE government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Under understandings dating back decades, Washington has refrained from Middle East arms sales that could blunt Israel’s “qualitative military edge” (QME). This has applied to the F-35, denied to Arab states, while Israel has bought and deployed it.

“In the talks (on the UAE normalisation deal), Israel did not change its consistent positions against the sale to any country in the Middle East of weapons and defence technologies that could tip the (military) balance,” Netanyahu’s office said.

This opposition includes any proposed F-35 sale, it added.

The Trump administration has signalled that the UAE could clinch unspecified new U.S. arms sales after last Thursday’s normalisation announcement.

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, an observer in Netanyahu’s security cabinet, noted that past U.S. administrations had “against our wishes” sold the UAE more advanced F-16 warplanes than Israel possesses as well as F-15 warplanes to Saudi Arabia.

Even were Washington to sell F-35s to the UAE, Steinitz told public radio station Kan that they would be unlikely to pose a danger to Israel as the distance between the countries is more than twice the jet’s range without refuelling.

“I would like to offer us reassurance. Any F-35 that ends up, ultimately, in the United Arab Emirates - not that we would be happy with this, as we always want to be the only ones (with such arms) in the region - threatens Iran far more than it does us,” he said, citing a foe common to Israel and many Gulf Arabs.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-uae-despite-their-warming-ties-idUSKCN25E0OD

 

[The Viper]

Israel's Mossad spy chief visits UAE for security talks

The head of Israel's foreign intelligence service has visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for security talks, only days after the countries agreed to establish diplomatic ties in a move that angered Palestinians.

Mossad chief Yossi Cohen discussed "cooperation in the fields of security" with the UAE's national security adviser, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the official Emirati WAM news agency reported on Tuesday.

Cohen's trip to Abu Dhabi marked the first visit to the UAE by an Israeli official after the announcement last week by United States President Donald Trump that the two countries had agreed to normalise relations.

"The two sides discussed prospects for cooperation in the fields of security as well as exchanged points of view on regional developments and on issues of common interest" including efforts to contain COVID-19, WAM said.

As part of the deal, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of territories in the occupied West Bank, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had only agreed to a "delay" and that the controversial plan was not off the table in the long run.

The UAE decision "was coming" regardless of Israel's annexation plans, according to Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. This "decision is at the expense of the legitimate Palestinian national rights", he told the Palestinian news agency Wafa on Friday.

Palestinians protested against the deal, seeing it as a betrayal of their cause by a major player in the Arab world, which has broadly held that normal ties with Israel are only possible once its dispute with the Palestinians is resolved.

Israel-UAE tensions had run high in 2010 after Mossad was widely blamed for the assassination in a Dubai hotel room of an operative for the Palestinian group Hamas, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

'Making history'
Trump said leaders from Israel and the UAE would sign the historic agreement at the White House in the coming weeks.

Netanyahu last week called Cohen to thank him for the Mossad's assistance "in developing the ties with the Gulf states over the years, which assisted in bringing the peace treaty to fruition", the prime minister's office said.

The Israel-UAE deal is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, and raises the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.

Netanyahu on Monday appeared on Sky News Arabia, in his first-ever interview with the Abu Dhabi-based network.

"This is a great moment ... we are making history," he said, adding: "This is a combination of limitless possibilities."

Saudi Arabia has maintained a conspicuous silence over the deal, but local officials have hinted that Riyadh is unlikely to immediately follow the UAE, its principal regional ally, despite US pressure.

Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner insisted on Monday that it would be in Riyadh's interest to formally establish ties with Israel.

"It would be very good for Saudi business, it would very good for Saudi's defence, and, quite frankly, I think it would also help the Palestinian people," Kushner said.

Netanyahu on Monday said Israel was working on opening a corridor over Saudi Arabia for flights to the UAE.

Meanwhile, Oman's minister responsible for foreign affairs spoke to his Israeli counterpart on Monday, the first publicised contact since the announcement of the UAE-Israel deal.

Yusuf bin Alawi and Israel's Gabi Ashkenazi spoke via telephone about "recent developments in the region", Oman's foreign ministry said on Twitter.

Oman, along with Bahrain, had already expressed its support for the deal, and bin Alawi told Ashkenazi that Muscat "clearly reaffirms its position calling for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace" in the Middle East.

Other Gulf countries, including Kuwait and Qatar, have so far remained silent on the Israel-UAE agreement.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....isits-uae-security-talks-200818161805649.html

 

[KingKhanWC]

Israelis use the same argument saying that an Independent Palestinian state has never existed in history. Which is true. Its just been a region that has been under the occupation of various empires going back to the Romans who actually gave it the name Palestine to humiliate the Jews after they were forced out of the Holy Land by them n they named after the Phillistines the Jews biggest enemies. Arabs havent controlled the land for at least 500 years. Palestinian national identity actually emerged in the 60s under the PLO and Arafat. Before that they just saw themselves as Arabs not any different to their Levantine neighbours. Israel also is a legitimate state according to international law. Only the settlements in the West Bank are seen as illegal. Do u accept the Israeli state as legitimate as per international law. The fact China haa such a hardline intolerant attitude to public religious expression is that not an issue for you. If u lived in China im sure u would have an issue with it. I understand that the EU and US have committed horrible acts of violence against Muslims n their expose of the treatment of Uighurs isnt out of sole humanitarianism its also part of their wider conflict with China for global supremacy. However that doesnt mean that China still isnt treating Uighurs terribly n violating their human rights.

China first denied that these camps even existed saying it was western propaganda then after so much evidence was leaked they then finally admitted they existed they even gave the BBC a tour of the camps that didnt exist.ut then said they were camps to eradicate religious extremism from Uighurs minds n not concentration camps.

Lets say we accept the chinese definition then that they are just re education camps. Bare in mind China regards Uighurs who grow beards or women who observe hijab and niqab as extremists If the UK govt decided to do this with say syrian muslims who had come as refugees and said they are seen to show signs of extremism because they have a beard n have hijab they could be affected by ISIS doctrine how would u react honestly ? [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53809345

I dont think you understand my simple points. There is a thread on China and you can ask me on there.

Ill list the points and please do debate them if you so wish.

1. Israel & India are occupying powers, China is not.

2. Israel and India are bombing people in these lands via air, China is not. Israel is bombing for 7 days in a row but you dont know this.

3. Israel and India hold Zionist and Hindutva ideologies, which are against Islam due to their beliefs, history or future vision. China treats all religions the same and is not against Islam as the majority of Chinese Muslims are living fine, better than other religious minorities.

Im not denying these camps in China and I dont agree with them but we do not have a clue what they are really like. You are taking the western info for this, im simply not.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

Palestine gave Modi the Grand Collar of Palestine. This, despite knowing what he's done in Kashmir and knowing what India has been doing in Kashmir. Why do we have to act as saviors for Muslims across the globe and not look into our own self-interest?

People of Pakistan need to understand that there is no such thing as a Muslim Ummah. There will never be Khilafat again. Pakistan will not fight a war with Israel to save Palestine.

Each and every country looks after the interests of its own people and it's about time Pakistan started doing so as well.

Pakistan already looks out for their own interests, and has done very little for the Muslim Ummah. Its really the opposite, Pakistan has leeched benefits of rich Arab countries, by playing the Muslim card.

The support for Palestine is because Muslims view it as a holy land.

Exactly the Palestinian leadership gave Modi garlands of flowers and didnt say anything about Palestine at all. They only care for Arab causes like most Arab peoples do. Not one Arab state has mentioned Kashmir to India. U never see any Arabs at Kashmir protests but u see tonnes of pakistanis at free palestine protests. This theykeydari has brought Pakistan nothing [MENTION=107753]uberkoen[/MENTION]

Pakistanis view Palestine as holy land, thats why they join protest for Palestine. And thats why they dont protest for Yemen, Western Sahara, and Darfur, etc.

Its not a favor to Palestinians.

 

[MenInG]

Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip rallied against the United States-brokered deal to normalise ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Protesters burned Israeli and US flags, trampled on posters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, and chanted "normalisation is betrayal to Jerusalem and Palestine".

The demonstrators in Gaza City also voiced support for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for his rejection of President Trump's Middle East plan, which the Palestinians say unfairly favours Israel.

The protest was organised by the Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, and other factions.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, denounced the deal, and said: "Normalisation with the occupation harms us and doesn't serve us. Instead, it serves and promotes the occupation in its projects that target Palestine and the region."

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/palestinians-gaza-rally-israel-uae-deal-200819114138805.html

 

[topspin]

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]

If we want to condemn Israel and India, you can't shift goal posts for China just because they are seen as an ally of Pakistan or because of your dislike for Hindus and Jews.

What China is doing with all their concentration camps is beyond vile and is 100x worse than what India and Israel is doing combined. It's that bad I don't even want to go into details. The stuff that they're doing I wouldn't even wish anyone to experience even if they were my worst enemy.

As many posters have mentioned, the concept of an Ummah at present is merely a figment of imagination among some Muslims. If we can have a trading relationship with China, we can trade with Israel and India or at the very least hold diplomatic ties with them.

I call out all atrocities against Muslims, whether it be Palestine, Yemen, Kashmir or the concentration camps. You on the other hand are brushing the latter under the carpet. It's not a something where you can pick and choose. You have to be consistent here.

 

[the Great Khan]

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]

If we want to condemn Israel and India, you can't shift goal posts for China just because they are seen as an ally of Pakistan or because of your dislike for Hindus and Jews.

What China is doing with all their concentration camps is beyond vile and is 100x worse than what India and Israel is doing combined. It's that bad I don't even want to go into details. The stuff that they're doing I wouldn't even wish anyone to experience even if they were my worst enemy.

As many posters have mentioned, the concept of an Ummah at present is merely a figment of imagination among some Muslims. If we can have a trading relationship with China, we can trade with Israel and India or at the very least hold diplomatic ties with them.

I call out all atrocities against Muslims, whether it be Palestine, Yemen, Kashmir or the concentration camps. You on the other hand are brushing the latter under the carpet. It's not a something where you can pick and choose. You have to be consistent here.

the ummah exists amongst the people and thats what the concept is about anyway. Not our leaders. They have always been corrupt and flighty.

But you fundamentally misunderstand why we cant recognise Israel. It is linked to Kashmir and Pakistan's ideology (perhaps slightly less so). Because there are UN resolutions around Palestine and Kashmir it links the two issues for Pakistan. If we recognise Isreal we recognise their occupation thus we should then recognise Indias claim to IOK.

wont ever happen. Also Pakistanis hate Israel with a passion. Im talking about the man on the street not the burgers.

 

[MenInG]

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it will not follow the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in establishing diplomatic ties with Israel until the Jewish state has signed an internationally recognised peace accord with the Palestinians.

The UAE last week became the first Gulf state to normalise relations with Israel, in a historic US-brokered accord that raised the prospect of similar deals with other Arab states including Saudi Arabia.

But after days of conspicuous silence and in the face of US pressure to announce a similar deal, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan ruled out the possibility until the Palestinian issue is resolved.

“Peace must be achieved with the Palestinians” on the basis of international agreements as a pre-condition for any normalisation of relations, Prince Faisal told reporters during a visit to Berlin.

“Once that is achieved all things are possible,” he added, in a comment that was consistent with Saudi Arabia's previous stance on the issue.

Prince Faisal's remarks are the kingdom's first official reaction since the UAE's landmark deal with Israel, which is only the third such accord the Jewish state has struck with an Arab country after Egypt and Jordan.

At a news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Prince Faisal reiterated criticism of Israel's “unilateral policies” of annexation and building settlements in the occupied West Bank as “illegitimate” and “detrimental” to a two-state solution.

'Biggest constraint'
Until now, Saudi Arabia had maintained a notable silence over the deal even as local officials hinted that Riyadh was unlikely to immediately follow in the footsteps of the UAE, its principle regional ally.

Amping up US pressure on the kingdom, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner insisted on Monday that it would be in Riyadh's interest to formally establish ties with Israel.

Further putting the kingdom in the spotlight, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said Israel was working on opening a corridor over Saudi Arabia for flights to the UAE.

But Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy and home to Islam's holiest sites, faces more sensitive political calculations than the UAE.

Not only would a formal recognition of Israel be seen by Palestinians and their supporters as a betrayal of their cause, it would also hurt the kingdom's image as the leader of the Islamic world.

“The notion that Saudi Arabia will be next to normalise relations with Israel was far-fetched,” said Aziz Alghashian, a lecturer at Essex University specialising in the kingdom's policy towards Israel.

“The biggest constraint for Saudi-Israeli normalisation is not the fear of a domestic and regional backlash.

“Rather, Saudi Arabia deems it necessary to not normalise relations outside the framework of the Arab Peace Initiative that called for resolving the Palestinian issue, if it still wants to be seen as the leader of the Muslim and Arab world,” Alghashian told AFP.

In 2002, Saudi Arabia sponsored the Arab Peace Initiative which called for Israel's complete withdrawal from the Palestinian territories occupied after the Six-Day War of 1967, in exchange for peace and the full normalisation of relations.

But a shared animosity towards Iran, along with Saudi attempts to attract foreign investment to fund Prince Mohammed's ambitious Vision 2030 economic diversification plan, appear to be pushing the kingdom closer to Israel than ever.

In 2018, Riyadh quietly opened its airspace for the first time for an Israel-bound passenger plane.

Riyadh has also pursued a bold outreach to Jewish figures in recent years, even as it appears wary of a public backlash.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1575287/saudi-arabia-says-no-israel-deal-without-palestinian-peace

 

[Abdullah719]

UAE could get F-35 jets in side agreement to Israel peace deal, sources say

The United States is eyeing the sale of stealthy F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates in a side agreement to the UAE’s overtures to Israel, an industry insider who was part of the dialogue with government officials said on Wednesday.

A sale, which could reduce Israel’s military advantage in the Middle East, would come after Israel and the UAE said last week they would normalise diplomatic ties and forge a broad new relationship under an accord that US President Donald Trump helped broker.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Trump said the UAE was interested in buying F-35 fighter jets made by Lockheed Martin Corp, which Israel has used in combat.

“They’d like to buy F-35’s, we’ll see what happens, it’s under review.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing a need to maintain Israeli military superiority in the region, said on Tuesday his country would oppose any US F-35 sales to the UAE.

Any F-35 sale could take years to negotiate and deliver, giving a new US presidential administration ample time to halt the deal. Poland, the most recent F-35 customer, purchased 32 of the jets, but will not receive its first delivery until 2024. Any sale would also need congressional approval.

The industry source said the prospective jet sale was arranged with the help of Trump senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The potential F-35 deal was first reported by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Following the report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement saying that Israel has not softened its opposition to any US arms sales to the UAE that could diminish its military superiority as part of the US-brokered normalisation of their ties.

Under understandings dating back decades, Washington has refrained from Middle East arms sales that could blunt Israel’s “qualitative military edge” (QME). This has applied to the F-35, denied to Arab states, while Israel has bought and deployed it.

Under the accord with the UAE, Israel agreed to suspend its planned annexation of areas of the occupied West Bank. The agreement also firms up opposition to regional power Iran, which the UAE, Israel and the US view as the main threat in the Middle East.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1575443/u...de-agreement-to-israel-peace-deal-sources-say

 

[KingKhanWC]

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION]

If we want to condemn Israel and India, you can't shift goal posts for China just because they are seen as an ally of Pakistan or because of your dislike for Hindus and Jews.

What China is doing with all their concentration camps is beyond vile and is 100x worse than what India and Israel is doing combined. It's that bad I don't even want to go into details. The stuff that they're doing I wouldn't even wish anyone to experience even if they were my worst enemy.

As many posters have mentioned, the concept of an Ummah at present is merely a figment of imagination among some Muslims. If we can have a trading relationship with China, we can trade with Israel and India or at the very least hold diplomatic ties with them.

I call out all atrocities against Muslims, whether it be Palestine, Yemen, Kashmir or the concentration camps. You on the other hand are brushing the latter under the carpet. It's not a something where you can pick and choose. You have to be consistent here.

Nothing to do with being an ally, ive made the points very clearly. China is nothing like India or Israel, please read my earlier posts.

 

[The Viper]

Iran says sabotage caused explosion at Natanz nuclear site

Iran's Atomic Energy Organization has said an explosion last month that damaged the country's Natanz nuclear facility was the result of "sabotage".

"Security investigations confirm this was sabotage and what is certain is that an explosion took place in Natanz," spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Sunday.

"But how this explosion took place and with what materials ... will be announced by security officials in due course," he was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

The Natanz uranium enrichment site, much of which is underground, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog.

Iran's top security body said after the blast on July 2 that the cause had been determined but would be announced later "for security reasons". Officials said the incident had caused significant damage that could slow the development of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges.

Some Iranian officials have previously said the explosion may have been the result of cyber-sabotage, warning that Tehran would retaliate against any country carrying out such attacks.

An article by Iran's state news agency IRNA in July addressed what it called the possibility of sabotage by enemies such as Israel and the United States, although it stopped short of accusing either directly.

Israeli officials declined to comment on Sunday.

IAEA head visit
Natanz is the centrepiece of Iran's enrichment programme, which Tehran says is only for peaceful purposes. Western intelligence agencies and the IAEA believe it had a coordinated, clandestine nuclear arms programme that it halted in 2003.

Tehran denies ever seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for the removal of most international sanctions in a deal reached between Tehran and six world powers in 2015.

But Tehran has gradually reduced its commitments to the accord since US President Donald Trump's administration withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed and intensified sanctions that have battered Iran's economy.

The deal only allows Iran to enrich uranium at Natanz facility, with just over 5,000 first-generation IR-1 centrifuges.

On Monday, IAEA head Rafael Mariano Grossi will visit Iran for the first time since taking up the role in December last year.

The IAEA said in a statement Grossi will address Iran's cooperation with the agency, particularly access for its inspectors to certain sites.

"My objective is that my meetings in Tehran will lead to concrete progress in addressing the outstanding questions that the agency has related to safeguards in Iran and, in particular, to resolve the issue of access," Grossi said.

"I also hope to establish a fruitful and cooperative channel of direct dialogue with the Iranian government which will be valuable now and in the future."

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...fire-natanz-nuclear-site-200823174331248.html

 

[Firebat]

Pompeo reassures Netanyahu U.S. will ensure Israel's military advantage

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United States will ensure Israel retains a military advantage in the Middle East under any future U.S. arms deals with the United Arab Emirates, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday.

“The United States has a legal requirement with respect to qualitative military edge. We will continue to honour that,” Pompeo told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu said he had been reassured on the issue by Pompeo, who began a Middle East visit in Jerusalem that will showcase U.S. support for Israeli-Arab peace efforts and building a front against Iran. It will also include Sudan, the UAE and Bahrain.

A U.S.-brokered deal on normalising relations between Israel and the UAE was announced on Aug. 13. But there has been some dissent in Israel over the prospect of the Gulf power now obtaining advanced U.S. weaponry such as the F-35 warplane.

Speaking on CNN on Saturday, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner said the UAE had been trying to get the F-35 for a long time.

“This new peace agreement should increase the probability of them getting it. But it’s something we’re reviewing,” he said.

Pompeo said Washington had provided the UAE with military support for more than 20 years, measures he described as needed to stave off shared threats from Iran - also Israel’s arch-foe.

“We’re deeply committed to doing that, to achieving that and we’ll do it in a way that preserves our commitment to Israel and I’m confident that objective will be achieved,” Pompeo said.

Bruised by the U.N. Security Council’s rejection of a U.S. draft resolution for extending an arms embargo on Iran, the Trump administration is seeking a “snapback” of U.N. sanctions that had been eased as part of a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

“We are determined to use every tool that we have to ensure that they (Iran) can’t get access to high-end weapons systems,” Pompeo said. “We think it’s in the best interest of the whole world.”

The Palestinians warned the Trump administration against trying to sideline them in the Middle East diplomatic push.

“Recruiting Arabs to recognise Israel and open embassies does not make Israel a winner,” Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said in an interview with Reuters. “You are putting the whole region in a lose-lose situation because you are designing the road for a forever conflict in the region.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...sure-israels-military-advantage-idUSKBN25K14M

 

[MenInG]

The United Arab Emirates cancelled a planned meeting with the United States and Israel over differences on the possible sale of American F-35 fighter jets to the Gulf state opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a report said on Monday.

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced that an agreement is under review for the UAE to buy the fighter jets, and a US defence official hinted that a deal could be reached in six months.

The US has sold the F-35 jet to allies - including South Korea, Japan and Israel - but sales to the Gulf require a deeper review because of American policy for Israel to maintain a military advantage in the Middle East.

According to the US news website, Axios, the UAE shelved a planned meeting with the US and Israel on Friday, after Netanyahu came out publicly to deny knowledge of the proposed arms deal between Washington, DC and Abu Dhabi.

Axios said the Emiratis wanted to send a message, adding that the Gulf state felt that Netanyahu's statement violated an understanding between them - following their historic announcement on August 13 of the normalisation of diplomatic ties.


https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...-35-arms-deal-row-report-200824235236086.html

 

[MenInG]

Bahrain said on Wednesday it was committed to the creation of a Palestinian state in talks with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, implicitly rejecting his push for Arab countries to swiftly normalise ties with Israel.

Pompeo was in Manama as part of a Middle East trip aimed at building more ties between the Jewish state and the Arab world after a landmark US-brokered deal with the United Arab Emirates.

However, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa said he told Pompeo that his country remains committed to the Arab Peace Initiative — which calls for Israel's complete withdrawal from the Palestinian territories occupied after 1967, in exchange for peace and the full normalisation of relations.

“The king stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the two-state solution [...] to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

The US chief diplomat has said he is hopeful other nations will follow the UAE, which earlier this month became only the third Arab country to agree to normalise relations with the Jewish state.

Manama, whose contacts with Israel date back to the 1990s, was the first Gulf country to welcome the UAE move and was considered a front-runner to follow in its footsteps.

Like most Gulf countries, Bahrain shares with the Jewish state a common enemy in Iran, which Manama accuses of instigating protests by the nation's Shia Muslim community against the ruling Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty.

But the Israel rapprochement was met with criticism from some parts of the Arab world, and Bahrain — a close ally of regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia — is unlikely to establish relations without Riyadh's blessing.

Last week, Saudi Arabia said it would not follow the UAE in establishing diplomatic ties with Israel until the Jewish state signed an internationally recognised peace accord with the Palestinians.

“Peace must be achieved with the Palestinians” on the basis of international agreements as a pre-condition for any normalisation of relations, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters during a visit to Berlin.

“Once that is achieved all things are possible,” he added, in a comment that was consistent with Saudi Arabia's previous stance on the issue.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1576584/b...tate-solution-despite-us-push-for-israel-deal

 

[Varun]

Israel Set To Operate First Ever UAE Flight Next Week

Israel is gearing up for its first commercial flight between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi. The flight, which is expected to happen next week, is further affirmation of Israel’s stance and support of the recent Israel–UAE normalization agreement. This flight is, hopefully, the first of many flights between Israel and the UAE.

The Associated Press reports that US and Israeli officials will take part in the first commercial flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next week.

This flight will likely be on Israel’s flag carrier, El Al. The plane will carry Israeli and US officials. President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and national security advisor, Robert O’Brien, Mideast envoy Avi Berkowitz, and envoy for Iran Brian Hook, are expected to be part of the US delegation.

Meanwhile, from Israel, national security advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat will lead the Israeli delegation with several other representatives from other government ministries, including directors of foreign and defense ministries and the national aviation authority.

It is unclear what the commercial aspect of this flight would be. With high-level officials from the US and Israel on the plane, security will be the top priority. There may be some spots open for the family and friends of these officials for sale so, while officials are negotiating and dealing with the government/political side of things, family and friends can explore Abu Dhabi and promote potential tourist links. Again, it is unclear what the commercial nature of this flight would be.

Saudi Arabia has not gone ahead and forged relations with Israel or supported the deal wholeheartedly. It is not known now if Saudi Arabia will open its airspace up for El Al to operate this flight. Without it, El Al will need to take a roundabout journey to Abu Dhabi heading first south over the Red Sea, turning towards the East south of Yemen and Oman, before tracking North and turning west to enter UAE airspace to head to Abu Dhabi.

Other flights to Israel, such as Air India’s flights to Israel, are allowed to operate over Saudi Arabian airspace. So, there is some precedent for flights to Israel to fly over Saudi Arabia to save time and fuel.

If Saudi Arabia does not open up its airspace for El Al, then it will force El Al to operate an inefficient routing between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi. In the long-run, with commercial operations, this would negatively impact El Al compared to its prospective competitors in Etihad, Emirates, flydubai, and more. All of these UAE airlines can fly over Saudi Arabia.

Using any other carrier other than El Al would be unlikely for this flight. El Al’s livery is comprised of Israel’s colors, and a waving Israeli flag is painted on the tails of El Al’s aircraft. For a historic journey like this, using any other airline except El Al would not make much sense.

https://simpleflying.com/first-israel-uae-flight/

Remains to be seen if they get overflight rights over KSA.

 

[MenInG]

JERUSALEM: An Israeli-American delegation will fly on the first commercial flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates on Monday after a landmark deal between the countries, officials said on Friday. “An official Israeli delegation will go to Abu Dhabi on a direct El Al flight for the first time ever,” a spokesman for Israel’s national carrier said, noting the flight from Tel Aviv was set for Monday.

Jared Kushner, top aide and son-in-law to US President Donald Trump, has confirmed he will be on the flight, alongside National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that National Security Advisor Meir Ben Shabbat will be leading the “professional delegation”.

The talks in Abu Dhabi will seek ways to boost cooperation on issues including aviation, tourism, trade, health, energy and security, Netanyahu’s office said. Israel and the UAE announced an agreement on August 13 to establish full diplomatic ties, including direct commercial flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai, the main city of the Emirates.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1576933/first-israel-emirates-commercial-flight-set-for-monday

 

[Firebat]

UAE scraps Israel economic boycott in new step towards normal ties

DUBAI (Reuters) - The president of the United Arab Emirates scrapped an economic boycott against Israel, allowing trade and financial agreements between the countries in another key step towards normal ties, the UAE’s state news agency reported on Saturday.

Israel and the UAE said on Aug. 13 they would normalise diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.

President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a decree abolishing a boycott law as part of “the UAE’s efforts to expand diplomatic and commercial cooperation with Israel, leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation,” the WAM news agency said.

The announcement came as Israeli flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines Ltd (ELAL.TA) prepared to operate the country’s first direct flight between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport and the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi.

An Israeli government delegation and top aides to Trump, including his senior adviser Jared Kushner, are due to travel on the flight on Aug. 31, a U.S. official said.

Before the Aug. 13 deal can be officially signed, details must be agreed on issues such as the opening of embassies, trade and travel links.

Israel’s Channel 13 TV said bilateral trade could initially be worth $4 billion a year, a figure it said could soon be tripled or quadrupled. Government officials did not immediately confirm that estimate.

Israeli Agriculture Minister Alon Schuster said Israel was working on potential joint projects that could help improve the oil-rich Gulf nation’s food security, such as water desalination and crop cultivation in the desert.

“With their money and our experience, we could go a long way,” he told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM in an interview on Friday.

Officials from the two countries recently said they were looking at cooperation in defence, medicine, tourism and technology.

The decree announced on Saturday means UAE citizens and businesses will be free to do business with Israel.

The two countries do not yet have official air links, and it was unclear whether Monday’s El Al flight would be able to fly over Saudi Arabia - which has no official ties with Israel - to cut down on flight time.

In May, an Etihad Airways plane flew from the UAE to Tel Aviv to deliver supplies to the Palestinians to help fight coronavirus, marking the first known flight by an UAE carrier to Israel.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...w-step-towards-normal-ties-idUSKBN25P0CF?il=0

 

[MenInG]

DUBAI (Reuters) - The president of the United Arab Emirates scrapped an economic boycott against Israel, allowing trade and financial agreements between the countries in another key step towards normal ties, the UAE’s state news agency reported on Saturday.

FILE PHOTO: The municipality building is lit in the United Arab Emirates national flag following the announcement of a deal to normalise relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, in Tel Aviv, Israel August 13, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israel and the UAE said on Aug. 13 they would normalise diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.

President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a decree abolishing a boycott law as part of “the UAE’s efforts to expand diplomatic and commercial cooperation with Israel, leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation,” the WAM news agency said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the UAE had taken “an important step towards peace, which will yield substantial economic and commercial achievements for both people while strengthening the stability in the region.”

The announcement came as Israeli flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines Ltd (ELAL.TA) prepared to operate the country’s first direct flight between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport and the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi.

An Israeli government delegation and top aides to Trump, including his senior adviser Jared Kushner, are due to travel on the flight on Aug. 31, a U.S. official said.

Before the Aug. 13 deal can be officially signed, details must be agreed on issues such as the opening of embassies, trade and travel links.

Israel’s Channel 13 TV said bilateral trade could initially be worth $4 billion a year, a figure it said could soon be tripled or quadrupled. Government officials did not immediately confirm that estimate.

Israeli Agriculture Minister Alon Schuster said Israel was working on potential joint projects that could help improve the oil-rich Gulf nation’s food security, such as water desalination and crop cultivation in the desert.

“With their money and our experience, we could go a long way,” he told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM in an interview on Friday.

Officials from the two countries recently said they were looking at cooperation in defence, medicine, tourism and technology.

The decree announced on Saturday means UAE citizens and businesses will be free to do business with Israel.

The two countries do not yet have official air links, and it was unclear whether Monday’s El Al flight would be able to fly over Saudi Arabia - which has no official ties with Israel - to cut down on flight time.

In May, an Etihad Airways plane flew from the UAE to Tel Aviv to deliver supplies to the Palestinians to help fight coronavirus, marking the first known flight by an UAE carrier to Israel.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...in-new-step-towards-normal-ties-idUSKBN25P0CF

 

[MenInG]

DUBAI: The president of the United Arab Emirates scrapped an economic boycott against Israel, allowing trade and financial agreements between the countries in another key step towards normal ties, the UAE’s state news agency reported on Saturday.

Israel and the UAE said on Aug 13 they would normalise diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by US President Donald Trump that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.

President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a decree abolishing a boycott law as part of “the UAE’s efforts to expand diplomatic and commercial cooperation with Israel, leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation,” the WAM news agency said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the UAE had taken “an important step towards peace, which will yield substantial economic and commercial achievements for both people while strengthening the stability in the region.”

The announcement came as Israeli flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines Ltd prepared to operate the country’s first direct flight between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport and the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi.

An Israeli government delegation and top aides to Trump, including his senior adviser Jared Kushner, are due to travel on the flight on Aug 31, a US official said.

Before the Aug 13 deal can be officially signed, details must be agreed on issues such as the opening of embassies, trade and travel links.

Israel's Channel 13 TV said bilateral trade could initially be worth $4 billion a year, a figure it said could soon be tripled or quadrupled. Government officials did not immediately confirm that estimate.

Israeli Agriculture Minister Alon Schuster said Israel was working on potential joint projects that could help improve the oil-rich Gulf nation’s food security, such as water desalination and crop cultivation in the desert.

“With their money and our experience, we could go a long way,” he told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM in an interview on Friday.

Officials from the two countries recently said they were looking at cooperation in defence, medicine, tourism and technology.

The decree announced on Saturday means UAE citizens and businesses will be free to do business with Israel.

The two countries do not yet have official air links, and it was unclear whether Monday’s El Al flight would be able to fly over Saudi Arabia — which has no official ties with Israel — to cut down on flight time.

In May, an Etihad Airways plane flew from the UAE to Tel Aviv to deliver supplies to the Palestinians to help fight coronavirus, marking the first known flight by an UAE carrier to Israel.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1577103/uae-scraps-israel-boycott-in-new-step-towards-normal-ties

 

[Firebat]

Israel has listed an El Al flight taking off on Monday for Abu Dhabi, in what would mark Israel's first commercial passenger flight to the United Arab Emirates after the two countries agreed to a United States-brokered deal to normalise relations.

The confirmation of the flight is the latest breakthrough in a deal that secured an agreement from Israel to suspend plans to annex Palestinian lands in the Occupied West Bank, and brought into the open a long-standing relationship between Israel and the UAE that both countries hope now will benefit their economies and strengthen their ties to the US amid tensions with Iran.

The website of the Israel Airports Authority listed the flight on Friday. It said the flight would be numbered LY971, a nod to the UAE's international calling code number. A return flight to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport on Tuesday will be numbered LY972, Israel's international calling code.

Emirati officials and the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press news agency. The flight was not immediately bookable on the website of El Al, Israel's flag carrier.

However, US officials earlier said the anticipated first flight will include American officials led by President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Other US officials on board will include national security adviser Robert O'Brien, Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz and envoy for Iran Brian Hook.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier announced that his national security adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, will lead Israel's delegation. Several Israeli government ministries will also send representatives, including the directors of the foreign and defence ministries and the national aviation authority, he said.

Private jets earlier flew between the two nations as their officials conducted covert talks. In May and June, Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways flew cargo freighters to Ben Gurion carrying aid for the Palestinians to combat the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

Israel and the UAE agreed to normalise relations on August 13. By August 16, telephone calls began ringing between the nations, marking the first concrete step of the US-brokered diplomatic accord.

The historic deal delivered a key foreign policy victory to Trump as he seeks re-election, and reflected a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about Iran have increasingly eclipsed traditional support among Arab nations for the Palestinians.

The deal has been met with criticism from some parts of the Arab world, with the Palestinian leadership condemning it as a "stab in the back".

https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/israel-el-al-set-landmark-flight-uae-monday-200828125043210.html

 

[MenInG]

The first commercial flight from Israel to the UAE is taking place, marking a major step in normalising relations after the announcement of a peace deal.

An Israeli El Al airliner will make the three-hour trip, carrying a delegation of Israeli and US officials.

The flight is being allowed to cross Saudi Arabian airspace, normally blocked to Israeli air traffic.

The UAE became only the third Arab country in the Middle East to recognise Israel since its founding in 1948.

On Saturday the UAE repealed a law boycotting Israel which had been in place since 1972, and earlier this month the two countries opened direct telephone services for the first time.

The agreement to normalise relations - brokered by the US - was made public in a surprise announcement on 13 August.
Flight LY971 - numbered to represent the UAE's international dialling code - is carrying delegates including Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner and Israel's National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat.

Mr Kushner led secret talks which resulted in the Israel-UAE agreement.

The joint teams will meet Emirati representatives to develop areas of co-operation between Israel and the UAE. The return flight will be numbered LY972, after Israel's international dialling code.

In a tweet in Hebrew, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the advent of the flight as an example of "peace for peace" - alluding to his long-held disbelief in the notion that only trading occupied land will bring peace between Israel and Arab countries.

While it was welcomed by much of the international community, the UAE's recognition of Israel without the precondition of the creation of a Palestinian state was denounced by the Palestinians as a betrayal of their cause.

In return for official relations with the UAE, Mr Netanyahu agreed to suspend controversial plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank - land claimed by the Palestinians for a future state of their own.

Before the UAE, Egypt and Jordan were the only other Arab countries in the Middle East to officially recognise Israel, after signing peace treaties in 1978 and 1994 respectively.

Mauritania, a member of the Arab League in north-west Africa, established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1999 but severed ties in 2010.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53971256

 

[MenInG]

And a historic first picture of an Israeli civilian aircraft landing at Abu Dhabi

 

[Firebat]

Kushner hails first direct commercial flight between Israel and UAE



A high-ranking American and Israeli delegation has landed in Abu Dhabi on the first direct commercial airline flight between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, marking the implementation of a US-brokered deal to normalise relations between the two nations.

Upon arrival, the White House adviser Jared Kushner said he came with greetings from Donald Trump.

“On the plane we asked the pilots to fly faster because there is great urgency between the people of both countries to break down old barriers, to get to know each other, to form new and hopefully very deep friendships,” he said. “While this peace was forged by its leaders, it’s overwhelmingly desired by the people.”

Announced on 13 August, the normalisation deal is the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years and was catalysed largely by shared fears of Iran.

Palestinians were dismayed by the UAE’s move, worried that it would weaken a longstanding pan-Arab position that called for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory – and acceptance of Palestinian statehood – in return for normal relations with Arab countries.

Israeli and US flags were on the tarmac beside a red carpet leading to the plane, which had the word “peace” printed in Arabic, English and Hebrew above a cockpit window.

The plane flew over Saudi Arabian airspace in another first for Israel that signalled at least an acquiescence by the kingdom for the UAE’s move. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has maintained his country’s boycott of Israel in support of Palestinians obtaining an independent state. Any long-term flights between Israel and the UAE would require Saudi clearance to be profitable.

The deal makes the UAE the third Arab nation to have full relations with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan. But unlike those two nations, Israel has never fought a war against the UAE and hopes to have much warmer relations.

On an overnight visit to Abu Dhabi, officials will explore bilateral cooperation in areas such as commerce and tourism, and Israeli defence envoys are due to visit the UAE separately. The UAE minister of state for food and water security, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, said on Sunday she had had her first conversation with Alon Schuster, Israel’s agriculture minister.

The advent of open discussions follows years of cooperation behind the scenes, but no other Arab state has followed Abu Dhabi’s lead.

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, led a lightning trip last week to Israel, Sudan, Bahrain, the UAE and Oman, but failed to win immediate support for future peace deals.

Abu Dhabi claimed its deal stopped Israel from annexing parts of the occupied West Bank, although the unilateral step touted by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was widely seen as already off the agenda.

Annexation was outlined in a US peace deal unveiled in January, which paved the way for a Palestinian state with limited autonomy and was wholly rejected by the Palestinian Authority.

Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, accused the US administration of using the UAE deal to try to secure votes for Donald Trump in his re-election bid.

“It must be quite demeaning for Arab leaders to be asked to join a meaningless White House spectacle,” she tweeted, amid reports a formal signing ceremony would be held in Washington next month.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...passenger-flight-from-israel-to-uae-takes-off

 

[Varun]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="in" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LY971?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LY971</a> lands in Abu Dhabi <a href="https://t.co/8uj6aHDih8">pic.twitter.com/8uj6aHDih8</a></p>— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmichaiStein1/status/1300399232600465408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Star of David liveried plane touching down in an Arab airport after flying over KSA airspace - history being made!

 

[uberkoen]

This is great news. So glad to see the UAE as a leading example of a modern Islamic country!

 

[Madplayer]

This is great news. So glad to see the UAE as a leading example of a modern Islamic country!

UAE is a muslim majority but surely not an Islamic country by any stretch of the imagination. These are interesting developments viz a viz Arab Israeli ties. I believe many other Arab nations will follow suit atleast in the gulf region. Sisi of Egypt has alreafy hailed the decision.

It would be interesting to see how the rest of Arab world reacts in the near future. The most interesting part is that Erdogan's Turkey is trying re-assert itself as the leader of Islamic world and dethrone the Saudis. Turkey nowadays takes a strong pro-muslim stand over every issue concerning muslims. The other day i read about Turkey coming out in support of Azerbaijan against Armenia. Turkey's agenda is clear. The discovery of natural gas reserves in black sea will only accelerate the process in economic terms. Saudi on the other hand might feel pressured to join it's neighbours in building ties with Israel which would make them lose popular muslim support should they choose to do it. The next 5 years or so are going to be really interesting in international relations.

 

[MenInG]

The United Arab Emirates has betrayed the Islamic world and the Palestinians by reaching a deal towards normalising ties with Israel, Iran's top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech.

"Of course, the UAE's betrayal will not last long, but this stigma will always be remembered. They allowed the Zionist regime to enter the region and forgot Palestine," Khamenei said on Tuesday.

"The Emiratis will be disgraced forever... I hope they wake up and compensate for what they did."

Iranian authorities have harshly criticised the United States-brokered deal between the UAE and Tehran's longtime foe Israel, with some officials warning that the UAE and Israel fostering closer ties risks conflagration in the Middle East.

Israel and the UAE expect economic benefits from the deal, the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years, which was forged largely through shared distrust of regional foe, Iran.

Palestinians were dismayed by the UAE's move, worried it would weaken a long-standing pan-Arab position that called for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and acceptance of Palestinian statehood in return for normal relations with the Arab countries.

Emirati officials have attempted to spin this agreement as being struck in return for Israel suspending its plan to annex large parts of the illegally occupied West Bank, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said annexation was only temporarily off the table.

Economic ties
On Saturday, the UAE announced it was scrapping its economic boycott of Israel, with officials from the two countries saying they are looking at cooperation in defence, medicine, agriculture, tourism and technology as part of the deal.

On Monday, the first direct flight by Israel's flagship carrier El Al landed in Abu Dhabi, carrying US and Israeli officials including President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The UAE is the third Arab nation after Egypt and Jordan to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Unlike the two other countries, the Gulf state does not share a border with Israel.

In recent years, the UAE has held quiet talks with Israel and allowed Israelis with second passports into the country for trade and talks.

The Trump administration has tried to coax other Arab countries to engage with Israel. Israeli officials have publicly mentioned Oman, Bahrain and Sudan as countries who may follow suit.

But in a statement earlier this month, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that his government had no mandate to normalise ties with Israel at this time.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/...00901094112159.html?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

This is great news. So glad to see the UAE as a leading example of a modern Islamic country!

You think a dictatorship like UAE is a modern Islamic country??? Should other Muslim countries which have democracy also get dictatorships?

This attitude is the reason Pakistan got Zia. Because people supported Ayub and he set the precedent of Army generals taking over.

 

[MenInG]

After accompanying an Israeli delegation to the United Arab Emirates for historic normalisation talks, White House adviser Jared Kushner set off on a tour of other Gulf capitals on Tuesday, looking for more Arab support.

Israel and the UAE set up a joint committee to cooperate on financial services at the talks in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. Kushner, United States President Donald Trump's son-in-law, accompanied the Israeli delegation Monday on what was billed as the first Israeli commercial flight to the influential Gulf monarchy, which agreed in August to normalise relations with Israel.

Israel exchanged embassies with neighbours Egypt and Jordan under peace deals decades ago. But until now, all other Arab states had demanded it first cede more land to the Palestinians, prompting criticism from stakeholders across the region.

Palestinians have condemned the deal as a stab in the back by a major Arab player while they still lack a state of their own. Turkey threatened to suspend relations with the UAE after normalisation was announced.

Israel's archrival Iran has been scathing in its criticism. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tweeted Tuesday that "the UAE betrayed the world of Islam, the Arab nations, the region's countries, and Palestine".

Kushner later flew to Bahrain and then Saudi Arabia and is expected also to visit Qatar.

In Bahrain, which houses the US naval headquarters for the region, the state news agency reported that during his meeting with Kushner, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa had praised the role the UAE has played in defending Arab and Islamic interests.

In Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Kushner discussed the need for the Palestinians and the Israelis to resume negotiations and reach a lasting peace, state news agency SPA reported.


While no further officials made statements that suggested they would soon recognise Israel, in remarks reported by the UAE state news agency WAM, Kushner suggested other Arab states could follow quickly.

Asked when the next would normalise ties with Israel, he was quoted as saying: "Let's hope it's months."

Saudi Arabia allowed the El Al charter flight carrying Kushner and the Israelis to use its airspace, in spite of its public resistance to normalisation.

'Treachery'
There are overlapping regional interests between Israel and Gulf Arab states, which are mainly ruled by Sunni Muslim monarchs who consider their biggest foe to be Shia Iran.

Israel has long held out the promise that their common enemy could bring them together, in spite of regional opposition to Israeli expansion on the occupied Palestinian territories.

Iran's derisive comments were not limited to Twitter. In a fiery speech on Tuesday, Khamenei said: "The Emiratis will be disgraced forever for this treachery against the Islamic world, Arab nations and Palestine.

"The UAE, along with Israelis and evil Americans like the Jewish member of Trump’s family, are working together against the interests of the Islamic world," Khamenei said, referring to Kushner, who is Jewish.

Asked about Khamenei’s remarks, UAE Foreign Ministry official Jamal al-Musharakh told reporters in Abu Dhabi: "The path to peace and prosperity is not paved with incitement and hate speech."

Israeli officials have played up the economic benefits of the UAE deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said representatives of the two countries had signed an agreement on cooperation in financial services.

The state-run Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Invest in Israel, part of Israel's economy ministry, issued a joint statement saying they had agreed to set out a plan to establish formal cooperation.

The Gulf state's biggest lender, First Abu Dhabi Bank, later said it would open discussions with Israel lenders Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi.

Amid the historic normalisation talks, Kushner spent a morning meeting UAE military officials at an Abu Dhabi airbase that houses US military F-35 jets, advanced stealth aircraft that the Gulf state has long sought to buy despite Israeli objections.

The UAE has said normalisation should remove any hurdle blocking the sale. Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel still opposes selling the jets to the UAE.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...shner-pushes-arab-states-200901221048938.html

 

[King_Kohli]

Saudi Arabia have just formally announced that 'any country', including ISRAEL, can use its airspace to fly to the United Arab Emirates.

Winds of change in the Middle East

 

[MenInG]

GAZA/ABU DHABI (Reuters) - A difference between English and Arabic versions of a trilateral statement after an historic flight from Israel to the UAE has been seized upon by Palestinians to suggest the Gulf state has overstated Israeli readiness to drop West Bank annexation plans.


The English version of a joint communiqué by the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the United States in Abu Dhabi on Monday said the accord had “led to the suspension of Israel’s plans to extend its sovereignty”.

But the Arabic version, carried by the UAE state news agency WAM, said “the agreement ... has led to Israel’s plans to annex Palestinian lands being stopped”.

The discrepancy was highlighted by Palestinians after President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner flew with U.S. and Israeli delegations on the first Israeli commercial flight to the UAE to cement the normalisation accord, the first by a Gulf state.

“Compare yourself the two versions... suspension of extending sovereignty, not stopping annexation of Palestinian lands,” tweeted Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation on Tuesday.

The UAE has portrayed the accord, announced by Trump on Aug. 13, as a means to halt Israeli annexation of occupied West Bank lands, where Palestinian hope to build a future state.

Jamal Al-Musharakh, chief of policy planning and international cooperation at the UAE foreign ministry, said the difference in wording was merely a translation issue.

“If anyone can think of a better synonym than ‘Eeqaf’ (stopping) for ‘suspending’, then please let me know,” he told reporters.

“One of the prerequisites of the commencing of bilateral relations was the halting of the annexation,” said Musharakh. The Emirati government did not respond when asked for further comment.

But Hanan Ashrawi, a senior PLO official, said it was a “forked tongue” attempt to influence public opinion in the Arab world.

“NO CHANGE IN MY PLAN”
“I don’t think it is a problem of translation, I think it is a disingenuous way of trying to manipulate the discourse,” she told Reuters.

“The Arabic translation is a way of misleading Arab public opinion by saying they have succeeded in stopping the annexation, while actually they suspended it.”

In recent election campaigns Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to apply Israeli sovereignty to West Bank areas, including Jewish settlements, but said he needed a green light from Washington.

Speaking in Hebrew and using the biblical terms for the West Bank, Netanyahu told Israelis on Aug. 13 - the day the deal was announced: “There is no change in my plan to apply our sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, in full coordination with the United States. I am committed, it has not changed.”

Keeping annexation hopes alive is widely seen as Netanyahu’s attempt to placate his right-wing voter base. Settler leaders have accused him of repeatedly floating annexation, only to cave in to international pressure.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Wednesday said it had nothing to add to the original Aug 13. statement, which said: “As a result of this diplomatic breakthrough ...Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in the President’s Vision for Peace.”

The White House declined to comment on the UAE trip communique, but a U.S. source familiar with the matter said the White House was not responsible for the Arabic translation.

At the briefing to reporters in Washington after the Aug 13 announcement Trump said annexation was “right now off the table,” and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman added: “The word suspend was chosen carefully by all the parties. ‘Suspend’ by definition, look it up, means a temporary halt. It’s off the table now but it’s not off the table permanently.”

During his UAE trip this week Kushner also used the word “suspend”.

“Israel has agreed to suspend the annexation, to suspend applying Israeli law to those areas for the time being,” he told the WAM agency. “But in the future it is a discussion that I am sure will be had. But not in the near future.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-the-detail-for-israel-uae-deal-idUSKBN25T2FE

 

[Varun]

Saudi Arabia have just formally announced that 'any country', including ISRAEL, can use its airspace to fly to the United Arab Emirates.

Winds of change in the Middle East

AI was using Oman and KSA airspace on its DEL-TLV flights. Once the corona thing ends, pretty sure this route will be reinstated.

El Al took a circuitous Red Sea route for its TLV-BOM flight. Pretty sure that will now fly over KSA, as will their TLV-BKK flight.

 

[Firebat]

UK's Raab discusses Middle East with Trump adviser Kushner

LONDON (Reuters) - Foreign minister Dominic Raab discussed the Middle East peace process on Thursday with Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser, a British statement said.

“They welcomed the historic Israel-UAE normalisation deal, and discussed wider US efforts to facilitate the normalisation of ties between Israel and Arab States,” a foreign office spokesman said.

“The Foreign Secretary (Raab) updated Mr Kushner on his recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and his encouragement of a return to cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships, as a first step on the road to a renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace process.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also attended part of the meeting with the visiting Kushner.

“The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary were clear about their commitment to a negotiated two-state solution,” the spokesman said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...east-with-trump-adviser-kushner-idUSKBN25U2IA

 

[Abdullah719]

Bahrain to allow UAE-Israel flights to cross its airspace

Bahrain has said all flights to and from the United Arab Emirates can cross its airspace, a move that will allow air services between Israel and the UAE to fly over the kingdom.

Thursday’s decision, which the kingdom’s aviation authority said came at the request of the UAE, follows an agreement last month that saw the UAE becoming the third Arab country to reach a deal with Israel about normalising ties.

The US-brokered agreement, which capped years of discreet contact between the two countries in commerce and technology, was denounced by the Palestinians as a betrayal of their cause by a major Arab player, while they still lack a state of their own.

Spoiler

“Bahrain will allow all flights coming to and departing from the United Arab Emirates to all countries to cross its airspace,” reported the official Bahrain News Agency, citing an official source at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications.

The decision cuts flying time between the Middle East states by several hours.

Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and a British naval base, has an historic Jewish community. The kingdom has slowly encouraged ties to Israel, with two US-based rabbis in 2017 saying King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa himself promoted the idea of ending the boycott of Israel by Arab nations.

Last month, an Israeli official said Bahrain and Oman could be the next Gulf countries to follow the UAE in formalising ties with Israel.

But Bahraini state media reported last week that King Hamad had told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo - who was in Manama as part of a Middle East tour aimed at forging more links between Israel and Arab countries following the UAE-Israel deal - that the Gulf state was committed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

Earlier this week, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, flew with a high-level Israeli delegation to the UAE on the first direct commercial passenger flight between the two countries.

While no other Arab country has yet indicated a willingness to follow the UAE, Saudi Arabia allowed the El Al charter flight carrying Kushner and the Israelis to use its airspace.

On Wednesday, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told Kushner that Doha remained committed to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. In the initiative, Arab nations offered Israel normalised ties in return for a statehood deal with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state and full Israeli withdrawal from territory captured in the 1967 Middle East War.

The UAE has promoted the deal as hinging on Israel halting its contentious plan to annex parts of the West Bank sought by the Palestinians for their future state. The deal also may allow Abu Dhabi to buy advanced weaponry from the US, including the F-35 stealth fighter jet.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...l-flights-cross-airspace-200904060607185.html

 

[LongHorn]

https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/...z9398bPKXok0N0bxobEWnIKvZ_k4Kf6MqYVpyppz5D50g

The UAE-Israel accord is a win for every Muslim
Those exhausted by the anger and division that have been haunting the Islamic world can hold their heads higher now

Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, centre right, and the US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, centre left, pose for a photo with UAE Air Force's Maj Gen Falah Al Qahtani,, and other officials at Al Dhafra airbase in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
For almost twenty years, Muslims across the world have been on the defensive. Muslim identity has been largely under attack. The terrorist incidents of September 11, 2001 on New York and Washington DC cast – in many a popular imagination – every Muslim as suspect in some way. In almost every continent, a dark cloud hung over us. The security checks at airports are only a manifestation of that deep distrust.

Osama bin Laden and a range of extremist organisations hijacked the Palestinian cause: they created nothing but more loss, terrorism and humiliation for the noble Palestinian people. Now, with the visionary accord between the UAE and Israel, three new horizons open: reinstating Muslim dignity, reviving a two-state solution opportunity and creating regional economic prosperity.

I am a British Muslim. In my teens, I helped raise money in London for Hamas. My peers and I believed suicide bombers were martyrs heading for paradise. We were wrong.

The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, 2,500 years ago taught that there is only one constant in life: change. Life flows ever onwards. After 9/11, I recognised the blunder of my beliefs. I changed. In my twenties, I lived in Damascus next to a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. In my thirties, I lived in New York and Washington where I advised the US government. I saw the suspicion of Muslims in the eyes of American officials. It always boiled down to something unspoken: show us peace in Islam; stop talking about it.


And that is exactly what the Abraham Accord is doing: showing peace between peoples, not only preaching it. The accord represents an important opportunity to further reject “Islamophobic” accusations of terrorism and anti-Semitism. We can say: “We believe in one God. Peace is possible. A new way of co-existence is achievable. We are not pawns for the mullahs of Iran or the Muslim Brotherhood. Look at the UAE.”

More than 70 countries have applauded the agreement with Israel and today, the UAE enjoys unprecedented support on both sides of the US political divide. The Pope’s visit to the Emirates in 2019 won the hearts of 2 billion Christians to the prospect of a pluralist, peaceful Middle East.

Islam-haters cannot say all Muslims cannot make peace with Jews. The natural choice for ordinary Muslims – 1.8bn people round the world – is: modernise, moderate and move with the times. The Quran calls upon Muslims to be rational. It confirms repeatedly that Jews and Christians are the children of Abraham. We are all followers of Jacob, Moses and Jesus. The Prophet Mohammed was a merchant, a member of the elite tribe of Quraysh. He engaged, dialogued, signed treaties and behaved rationally. Muslims are not victims, but victors.

Every time I visit Jerusalem, walking along the Roman cobblestone pavements, it pains me that Jerusalemites cannot visit Gaza. And Gazans cannot visit the West Bank. Terrorism causes this division. It pains me equally that the unemployment rate is 45 per cent in Gaza and 41 per cent for women in the West Bank; that Hamas have turned Gaza into a prison, killing any dissenters or peacemakers; that schools I visit in the West Bank do not even have Israel, their neighbour, on the map. This shows a leadership that is afraid of change and the future.

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Hamas leaders cannot continue to visit Tehran and praise terrorists and murderers of Arabs, and then expect to be taken seriously as a state builder by the United Nations. The old tactics of terrorism, boycotting and resistance have not worked. A free, dignified state for the Palestinian people, beside a secure Israel, is now again on the table. The Palestinians have a sincere, transparent ally in the UAE.

We must never forget that the Romans expelled Jews from Jerusalem. After five hundred years of banishment it was the Caliph Omar, in the year 637, who invited Jews back to the holy city. Unlike others, Muslims have a long and honourable history of honouring Judaism. The great rabbi Maimonides was a physician to Muslim rulers.

In our time, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, has built a diplomatic corps that is sharp, serious, respected for achieving results and, above all, discrete. To have Emirati diplomacy at the service of the Palestinian people's dream for statehood – now with direct, trusted and open access to American and Israeli political leaders – is a gift. The Saudi Arabian, Bahraini, Egyptian, Moroccan, Jordanian and other Arab and Muslim nations want to see this issue settled so that the Middle East can fulfil its true potential as a global hub of innovation, capital, finance, technology, health and tourism.

Can the Middle East dream again? No, rather, can it be its true self again? From algorithms to ophthalmology to medicine to naming the stars, much came from the early Muslims. Sometime in the 13th century, that desire to dream and understand the cosmos was lost. Philosophy was abandoned and – with it neglected – science and innovation became marginalised.

Among the greatest defenders of reason, if not the only champions of the time, were the Arab Muslims of Al Andalusia – descendants of the Umayyads from Makkah. There, it was Ibn Rushd in the 12th century who shone the light of reason.

That spirit shone again last month when the Emirates “Hope Probe” Mars mission launched. Just imagine the power of that Arab spirit of knowledge, inquiry and ambition coupled with Israeli advances in medical technology, software developments, agriculture and environment, navigation and road safety.

Youth aged 15-24 consist of 32 per cent of the Arab population. That’s 22 countries with a population of 300 million, of which 100m is under the age of 25, crying out for economic opportunities, houses, marriage, families, health care, cars, dignity and stability. This is evident to anyone taking a walk downtown and talking to the youth in Cairo, Amman, Tunis or Beirut.


As the world emerges from Covid-19, the old models of operation will be defunct. Why take a 20-hour flight to Silicon Valley when similarly bright tech minds are three hours away in Tel Aviv? Why seek investors in New York amid jet lag when similarly wealthy financiers are sat in Riyadh? How is it possible that youth in Egypt and Jordan are starved of investment capital and resources when Israel next door needs new markets? For how much longer will the Middle East tolerate a torn-apart Syria? Damascus – land of St Paul, home of the Umayyads and city of Nizar Qabbani – deserves to return to its Arabic regional allies.

Lebanon, pivot of private bankers, again next to Israel, was deprived of basic talent to manage its port and lost innocent lives in last month’s explosion. For how much longer? I could go on, but year after year, the UAE has been the prime destination of choice for youth across the region. The reason for that status is its entrepreneurial trading spirit.

The winds of change are blowing across the world again and, as the cradle of faiths and civilisations, what happens in the Middle East influences us all. “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” asked the beloved US president Abraham Lincoln. The Israeli-UAE accord opens new paths for all who seek a better future for their grandchildren: Muslims who seek to live in the modern world, a Palestinian-Israeli two-state solution and a more prosperous region for the youth of the Middle East.

Ed Husain is a doctoral researcher at the University of Buckingham and author of The House of Islam: a Global History

 

[LongHorn]

Who is this Ed Husain who is speaking on behalf of all Muslims?

 

[Abdullah719]

Who is this Ed Husain who is speaking on behalf of all Muslims?

Co-founder of Quilliam with Maajid Nawaz.

 

[Abdullah719]

Israel sees trade with UAE at $4 billion a year

(Jerusalem) Annual trade between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is expected to reach $4 billion, an Israeli minister said on Monday.

Israel and the UAE announced in August they would normalize diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by Washington.

The UAE has since announced it was scrapping an economic boycott on Israel and officials from the two countries have said they were looking at cooperation in defense, energy, medicine, tourism, technology and financial investment.

A number of Israeli and Emirati businesses have signed deals since the normalization accord was announced.** ‬‬

“Within three to five years trade between Israel and the United Arab Emirates will reach $4 billion,” Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen told Israel’s Reshet Bet radio station.

A spokesman for Cohen, Israel’s former economy minister, said the figure was annual and included defense trade.

Israeli carrier Israir said on Sunday it had reserved slots for commercial flights from Tel Aviv to the UAE, preparing for potential tourism.

The heads of Israel’s two biggest banks will travel to the UAE this month, the first such visits since the countries agreed to normalize relations.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40016922/israel-sees-trade-with-uae-at-4-billion-a-year

 

[Firebat]

Palestinians set to soften stance on UAE-Israel normalisation: draft statement

RAMALLAH (Reuters) - The Palestinian leadership has watered down its criticism of the normalisation deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates before an Arab League meeting in Cairo on Wednesday at which the accord will be debated.

A draft resolution presented by the Palestinian envoy, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, does not include a call to condemn, or act against, the Emirates over the U.S.-brokered deal.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also issued instructions on Tuesday banning any offensive statements or actions towards Arab leaders, including UAE rulers.

Announced on Aug. 13, the accord was the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years, and was forged largely through shared fears of Iran.

The draft Palestinian resolution to be debated by Arab foreign ministers said the Israel-U.S.-Emirates announcement “doesn’t diminish Arab consensus over the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian cause is the cause of the entire Arab nation”.

“The trilateral announcement doesn’t change the principal Arab vision based on the fact that the two-state solution on the 1967 borders is the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East,” the draft said.

The tone is markedly different from that of Abbas, whose office on Aug. 13 called the accord “betrayal” and a “stab in the back of the Palestinian cause.”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump have described the accord as historic, and urged other Arab countries to follow suit.

Emirati leaders said the deal shelved Israeli plans to annex territory in the occupied West Bank.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...l-normalisation-draft-statement-idUSKBN25Z2GL

 

[Varun]

Gefilte in the Gulf? Abu Dhabi tells all its hotels to offer kosher food

Apparently anticipating hordes of Jewish tourists in the aftermath of the upcoming signing of a peace treaty between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, local authorities in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday instructed all hotels in the city to prepare kosher food options.

In a written message sent to the managers of all hotels in the Emirati capital, its Department of Culture and Tourism cites is commitment to serve “all visitors and tourists in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.” Therefore, “all hotel establishments are advised to include Kosher food options on room service menus and at all food and beverage outlets in their establishments.”

All hotels are asked to “seek Kosher certification for handling kosher meals;” to “designate an area in all kitchens for Kosher food preparation;” and to “label Kosher menu items with a clear and visible label/reference with a recognisable symbol that denotes ‘Kosher,’ as per acquired certification.” The city has about 160 hotels and apartment hotels.

Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/gefil...ll-its-hotels-to-offer-kosher-food/#gs.f4zi79

 

[gani999]

They don't have to do much. The rules for slaughtering animals and preparing kosher food are pretty much the same as those for halal.

All they need to do is to change the label.

 

[Nadeemp]

No they will need a rabbi supervision for it

 

[Lurker_Ind]

Co-founder of Quilliam with Maajid Nawaz.

Is Majid Nawaz even considered as a Muslim by Brit Muslims?

 

[Firebat]

Trump says another country could join Israel-UAE accord

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday it was possible another country could join an accord between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump is to host a signing ceremony on Sept. 15 that will include delegations with Israel and the UAE. His negotiators have been trying to get other Gulf nations, such as Bahrain and Oman, to join in normalizing relations with Israel.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ry-could-join-israel-uae-accord-idUSKBN2613C1

 

[Gabbar Singh]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: US President Donald <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trump</a> is expected to announce a normalization agreement between <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Israel?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Israel</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bahrain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bahrain</a> today.<a href="https://t.co/Mv0vUizI0i">https://t.co/Mv0vUizI0i</a></p>— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jerusalem_Post/status/1304428219874107393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Firebat]

Trump announces 'peace deal' between Bahrain and Israel

Israel and the Gulf state of Bahrain have reached a landmark deal to fully normalise their relations, US President Donald Trump has announced.

"The second Arab country to make peace with Israel in 30 days," he tweeted.

For decades, most Arab states have boycotted Israel, insisting they would only establish ties after the Palestinian dispute was settled.

But last month the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to normalise its relationship with Israel.

There had been much speculation that Bahrain might follow suit.

Mr Trump, who presented his Middle East peace plan in January aimed at resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict, helped broker both accords.

Bahrain is only the fourth Arab country in the Middle East - after the UAE, Egypt and Jordan - to recognise Israel since its founding in 1948.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "excited" that "another peace agreement" had been reached with another Arab country on Friday.

"This is a new era of peace. Peace for peace. Economy for economy. We have invested in peace for many years and now peace will invest in us," he said.

"Another historic breakthrough today!" Mr Trump wrote on Twitter, adding: "Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain agree to a Peace Deal."

The president also posted on Twitter a copy of a joint statement between the three leaders - Mr Trump, Mr Netanyahu and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa.

"This is a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East" that will "increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region", the statement reads.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54124996

 

[Savak]

Lol, all the Arab states will recognize Israel by the November elections and Pakistan will be the last ones standing

 

[Shah]

Good for UAE and Bahrain to have diplomatic relations with Israel. It will promote peace and prosperity in the region. So do Jordan and Egypt who have fought wars with Israel. Pakistan never had a war with Israel so what is Pakistan's problem? After all, Pakistan has fought numerous wars with India but still has diplomatic relations with India.

 

[Madplayer]

UAE is a muslim majority but surely not an Islamic country by any stretch of the imagination. These are interesting developments viz a viz Arab Israeli ties. I believe many other Arab nations will follow suit atleast in the gulf region. Sisi of Egypt has alreafy hailed the decision.

It would be interesting to see how the rest of Arab world reacts in the near future. The most interesting part is that Erdogan's Turkey is trying re-assert itself as the leader of Islamic world and dethrone the Saudis. Turkey nowadays takes a strong pro-muslim stand over every issue concerning muslims. The other day i read about Turkey coming out in support of Azerbaijan against Armenia. Turkey's agenda is clear. The discovery of natural gas reserves in black sea will only accelerate the process in economic terms. Saudi on the other hand might feel pressured to join it's neighbours in building ties with Israel which would make them lose popular muslim support should they choose to do it. The next 5 years or so are going to be really interesting in international relations.

As i had mentioned previously, these are interesting developments. We'd have to wait and see whether these arab regimes will lose popular support of Arab people to Turkey which is looking quite likely to me. The only thing that surprises me is the rapid pace at which it is happening.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is Kafkaesque: Turkey, which recognizes Israel, criticizes Bahrain for recognizing Israel <a href="https://t.co/CIMqr2Nk0J">https://t.co/CIMqr2Nk0J</a></p>— Soner Cagaptay (@SonerCagaptay) <a href="https://twitter.com/SonerCagaptay/status/1304543223759728643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>