UAE tells Arab states to establish ties with Israel

UAE tells Arab states to establish ties with Israel

The New Arab, 28 March, 2019

Gargash said not having contact with Israel is 'very, very wrong' [Getty]

A senior UAE minister has called on Arab states to be more open with Israel, paving the way for the two countries to cement closer ties.

Emirati Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, expressed his regret for not having formal relations or contact with Israel in the past, the decision which he described as "very, very wrong".

A senior official in the UAE has called on Arab states to be more open with Israel, expecting more contact between the two rivaling parties to be established.

Anwar Gargashtold told the Emirati daily, The National, that relations between Arab countries and Israel need to change to achieve progress and peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Many, many years ago, when there was an Arab decision not to have contact with Israel, that was a very, very wrong decision, looking back," said Gargash.

"Because clearly, you have to really dissect and divide between having a political issue and keeping your lines of communication open."

Gargash also appeared to rule out two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

"What we are facing, if we continue on the current trajectory, I think the conversation in 15 years' time will really be about equal rights in one state," he added.

"A two-state solution will no longer be feasible because a sort of reduced rump (Palestinian) state will no longer be practical," said Gargash.

Gargash's comments come after the UAE and other Gulf states criticised US President Donald Trump's recognition this week of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Only two Arab nations - Egypt and Jordan - have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.

Relations between Israel and some Arab countries have recently been more cordial and seen more rapprochement.

Last year, in a surprising move, an Israeli cabinet minister visited Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque.

This was followed by a visit by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to Oman, the first of its kind in 22 years.

Last month Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner visited Gulf Arab states, which host US troops and constitute an important ally for Washington's regional defence policy.

Gargash expects more contact between Arab states and Israel through small bilateral deals and visits by politicians as well as athletic delegations.

Israel's national anthem was played in an Abu Dhabi last October when Israeli athletes won gold in the judo competition.

Israel views Arab states as allies against its archfoe Iran. However, many in the Arab world resist following Jordan's and Egypt's suit while the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is ongoing.

UAE official says Arab countries should be more open to Israel

Anwar Gargash says he expects more contact between Arab countries and Israel via bilateral deals and political visits.
Al Jazeera English, 28 March 2019

Anwar Gargash said that relations between Arab states and Israel need to change [File: Faisal Al Nasser/Reuters]

A senior official in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said Arab states made a "very wrong decision" in the past when they had decided to not have formal relations or contact with Israel.

Anwar Gargash, the UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs, told Emirati daily The National that relations between Arab states and Israel need to change in order to achieve progress towards peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Many, many years ago, when there was an Arab decision not to have contact with Israel, that was a very, very wrong decision, looking back," Gargash said in unusually candid remarks.

"Because clearly, you have to really dissect and divide between having a political issue and keeping your lines of communication open."

His comments came after the UAE and other Gulf states criticised US President Donald Trump's recognition this week of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau occupied from Syria in the 1967 war.

They also followed a visit last month by Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Gulf Arab states to seek support for the economic portion of a long-awaited US proposal for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Gulf Arab states host US troops and are important for Washington's regional defence policy.

'Strategic shift'

Israel has formal diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.

But an Israeli cabinet minister visited Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque last year and fellow Gulf state Oman hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a surprise trip, the first time an Israeli leader had visited the Sultanate in 22 years.

Israel sees Arab states as its natural allies against regional powerhouse Iran. But many in the Arab world resist following Jordan and Egypt's lead as long as the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory continues.

Gargash said he expected increased contact between Arab countries and Israel through small bilateral deals and visits by politicians and athletic delegations. Israeli athletes won gold in an Abu Dhabi judo competition in October, where its national anthem was played.

"The strategic shift is needed actually for us to progress on the peace front," Gargash said.

"What we are facing, if we continue on the current trajectory, I think the conversation in 15 years' time will really be about equal rights in one state," he added, alluding to a possible fusion of the Israeli and
Palestinian polities in place of the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

He said this conversation was currently on the margins but that that would change.

"A two-state solution will no longer be feasible because a sort of reduced rump (Palestinian) state will no longer be practical," Gargash added.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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