This week’s agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish a full normalization of diplomatic ties is truly a feather in President Trump’s cap. The accord, which Trump announced Thursday, represents an undeniable success for Trump’s diplomatic mediation. It is good news for the United States, Israel, the UAE, and all who favor the cause of peace.
Israel can now look to a powerful Sunni-Arab monarchy as a new partner on matters of diplomacy, trade, and security cooperation. For the seven Islamic kingdoms or emirates of the UAE, and particularly their leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, this will consolidate the UAE’s reputation as a modern, outward-looking country. Even if the UAE is not yet a democracy, this deal again proves that peace between Islamic nations and Israel is both possible and preferable.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Jared Kushner played key roles in seeing the accord finalized. Trusted and liked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and by the Emirati sheikh, the two bring something important to Middle East negotiations that President Barack Obama’s administration never did because they enjoy the confident trust of all relevant parties.
This framework does more than simply stamp formal approval on what was informally understood to be a dramatically improving relationship. A critical element to getting the signatures on the paper was Trump’s persuasion of Israel to suspend sovereignty applications it had planned to make over areas of the disputed West Bank.
That significant concession testifies to Israel’s enduring pursuit of peace, but it would likely not have been possible had Netanyahu not formed a coalition with center-left leader Benny Gantz. Netanyahu will now take criticism from elements of the Israeli Right for his West Bank concession. We salute him for putting his nation’s future ahead of his political base.
Mohammed also deserves similar praise. Long regarded as a reformist leader in political Islam, responsible for advancing women’s rights and religious tolerance at home, the UAE leader has shown great personal and political courage here. The assassination of former Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat following his assent to the Camp David Accords is a reminder that Islamic extremists view the forging of diplomatic ties with Israel to be a mortal crime.
But Mohammed is correct about the clear moral and political benefits of this partnership. A joint statement tweeted by Trump notes that the countries will soon sign “bilateral agreements regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies and other areas of mutual benefits.”
The advancement of all those interests would not be possible without the legal authority that diplomatic recognition affords. This new relationship will also assist Israel and the UAE in advancing their international treaty and diplomatic interests in forums such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
Americans, Europeans, and all the peoples of the Middle East will be safer thanks to this agreement. Given Iran’s rising nuclear threat to Israel and the Sunni-Arab monarchies, this deal will allow for more comprehensive security deterrence against Iranian malfeasance. It will also facilitate more effective counterterrorism activity and intelligence cooperation.
This agreement is a substantive and significant victory for Israelis and Emiratis, and the Trump administration deserves great credit for artfully helping two allies reach this accord.
