Last month, an agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was settled. The deal, also known as the Abraham Accord, established full diplomatic relationships between the countries and could potentially normalize relationships between its respective citizens. Prior to the development, only two Arab countries, Jordan and Egypt, had full diplomatic relationships with Israel.
The deal was coordinated by the United States, who was in close relations with the signatories. It was announced on August 13 and the treaty was signed on September 15 at the White House.
According to CNN, “The first Israeli commercial flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took to the skies on Monday, after an agreement to normalize relations between the two countries.”
“Israel has been riddled with poor foreign affairs involving the UAE. It is humbling to witness a potential spark of light between Israel and the UAE,” Josh Beder (’21) said.
One benefit of this deal includes the fact that both countries have come to communicative terms. Prior to the agreement, the UAE did not recognize Israel and no relationship existed between the two countries.
According to BBC, this relationship could lead to new “opportunities for trade and more”. Because of this deal, tourists from Israel are able to visit the UAE and vice versa. In addition, businesses can now work together on regional deals while governments can work together on security issues.
“I think that the Israel-UAE peace agreement is a historic event, not only because it normalizes relations between two countries in the Middle East but more importantly, because it paves the way for other Middle Eastern countries to do the same. It is the first time that peace in the Middle East seems attainable,” Priscilla Tehrani (’21) said.
While many are skeptical, the United States hopes that this treaty will lead others to follow in their footsteps towards peace.
“This deal is historic because it normalizes relations, and I think many other Arab countries will follow. This treaty will lead to the sharing of technology and medical advances. The people from these countries will visit each other’s countries and learn to understand and accept their unique cultures. It is an amazing achievement for the Middle East and the world,” Danya Taub (’21) said.
While the Middle East has seen many conflicts, citizens of both Israel and the UAE are hoping that this deal will advance their journey towards peace.
