"From the outset, we saw the Abraham Accords as a way to maintain support for the Palestinians and their legitimate aspirations for an independent state," Lana Nusseibeh, UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for political affairs, said today. "That was our position in 2020, and it remains unchanged."
The UAE spoke out following reports that Israel is considering annexing the West Bank, in response to France and other countries declaring they would recognize a Palestinian state.
"We urge the Israeli government to halt this plan. Extremists must not be allowed to dictate the path of the region, in any way. Peace requires courage, perseverance, and not allowing violence to dictate our choices," Nusseibeh said.
Israeli officials have not responded to the reports.
 |
Israeli soldiers in an area of the West Bank on 2/9. Photo: AFP |
Israeli soldiers in an area of the West Bank on 2/9. Photo: AFP
This comment is considered the strongest criticism from the UAE of Israeli actions since the conflict with Hamas in Gaza erupted in 10/2023.
The West Bank and Gaza are considered Palestinian territories, the basis for establishing a Palestinian state under the "two-state" model, allowing Israel and Palestine to coexist peacefully. After the 1967 Middle East war, the Israeli military occupied parts of the West Bank, built numerous settlements, and has continuously expanded them.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right politician, recently called on the government to issue an ultimatum to Hamas and begin a phased annexation of the Gaza Strip if the militant group does not surrender.
 |
Location of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Graphics: CNN |
Location of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Graphics: CNN
In 9/2020, the UAE signed the Abraham Accords, brokered by then-US President Donald Trump, becoming the first Arab nation in the Middle East to normalize relations with Israel in over 25 years. Bahrain and Morocco later joined the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly backed down from plans to annex the West Bank in order to normalize relations with the UAE. However, the Times of Israel reported that the UAE only received a commitment from the US that it would not support Israeli annexation of the West Bank until the end of Trump's first term.
Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, Times of Israel)
