The Story:
Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced in a joint statement last week that they have agreed “to the full normalization of relations.” This means that they recognize each others’ legitimacy, and they expect to exchange ambassadors. It has long been a key Israeli foreign policy goal to normalize relations with as many of the region’s Arab sovereigns as possible, as a step toward a lasting peace.
Settlement Halt:
As part of the accord, Israel agreed to suspend its plans to declare sovereignty over parts of the West Bank. The UAE believes in a two-state solution to the longstanding Israel-Palestinian enmity, and it sees this agreement as a step in that direction.
The UAE consists of seven emirates clumped together on the eastern side of the Arabian peninsula. The emirs of each of these seven constitute the Federal Supreme Council.
The Thing to Know:
In terms of politics in the United States, this agreement is at least a small victory for the campaign to re-elect President Donald Trump. This administration helped to broker the so-called “Abraham Accord” (so named because all of the world’s great monotheistic religions esteem the biblical patriarch Abraham), and it can now boast of a solid foreign policy achievement.
