In a surprise announcement that reverberated throughout Washington, Tel Aviv, and the Arab world, the White House declared a new era of peaceful relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, two of the Middle East’s most economically diversified powers. According to the one-page declaration, Israel and the UAE agreed to establish full diplomatic ties; a schedule for follow-on talks to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, technology, and security; and a commitment from the Israeli government to suspend any annexation plans it had in the West Bank.
“Opening direct ties between two of the Middle East’s most dynamic societies and advanced economics will transform the region by spurring economic growth, enhancing technological innovation and forging closer people-to-people relations,” the statement read.
The news was greeted with cheering and back-slapping among the parties involved. President Trump called the Israel-UAE accord a “HUGE breakthrough.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the event as a “historic day.” Youssef al Otaiba, the powerful UAE Ambassador to the United States, released a statement stressing the virtues of diplomacy.
The peace deal, the first between Israel and an Arab state in 26 years, provides something for everyone. Trump, searching for a big, bold achievement to make up ground against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, gets a foreign policy win he can package as an example of his dealmaking prowess. Netanyahu receives a high-profile notch on his belt at a time when his political career is at its most turbulent. And UAE Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed is afforded an opportunity to demonstrate to the Middle East that his country is a major player in the region. What’s there not to like?
Caution, however, is in order.
For one, we don’t know the full details of this accord. The brief declaration issued by the White House couldn’t have been any less specific. A lot of questions remain unanswered. For instance, are diplomatic relations established immediately, or are they prefaced on Israel officially halting settlement building in the West Bank? Is annexation now off the table completely, or is it simply postponed? Is there a timetable that must be met, or is implementation open-ended? Are there any dispute-resolution mechanisms involved in the event problems arise?
Second, it’s a big leap of faith to assume that this agreement will pave the way for other Israeli-Arab normalization initiatives. While there’s always a chance of today’s announcement serving as the springboard for more peace agreements, it’s more likely that other Arab nations will monitor compliance like a hawk before deciding to enter into negotiations themselves. This includes Saudi Arabia, whose position has long connected formal ties with Israel to the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Being the first U.S. president since Bill Clinton to sign a state-to-state peace accord in the Middle East is nothing to sneeze about. For Trump, this fact, more than anything else, makes this a good day.
Daniel DePetris (@DanDePetris) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. His opinions are his own.
