While Bahrain and Egypt praised the historic deal Turkey and Iran condemned the move
Palestinians take part in a protest against the UAE decision to normalise relations with Israel in the city of Nablus (Reuters)
By MEE staff Published date: 14 August 2020
US President Donald Trump on Thursday proudly announced a historic peace deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
Trump also said Israel would pause plans to annex parts of the West Bank but critics of the deal fear Tel Aviv will renege on this part of the deal.
The peace deal paves the way for normalisation of relations between the two countries and makes the UAE the third country in the Arab world to normalise relations with Israel.
Here's a rundown of how countries across the Middle East and North Africa reacted to the latest announcement:
Bahrain
Bahrain praised the normalisation of ties between Israel and the UAE and welcomed the move, according to the Bahrain News Agency.
Commenting on the deal, a Bahraini spokesperson said: "The kingdom welcomes the diplomatic efforts made by the United Arab Emirates. This historic step will contribute to strengthening stability and peace in the region."
Egypt
Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi praised the efforts and said he hoped the deal to halt Israel's annexation would bring "peace" to the Middle East.
"I appreciate the efforts of the architects of this agreement for the prosperity and stability of our region," Sisi said in a tweet.
Iran
Iran dubbed the Israel-UAE deal as an act of "strategic stupidity" and warned Abu Dhabi to accept any consequences of the historic agreement.
"This is an act of strategic stupidity from Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv which will undoubtedly strengthen the resistance axis in the region," the Iranian foreign ministry said on Thursday.
"The oppressed people of Palestine and all the free nations of the world will never forgive the normalising of relations with the criminal Israeli occupation regime and the complicity in its crimes."
Jordan
Jordan did not welcome or condemn the deal but said its impact will depend on Israel's actions.
Reacting to the decision, Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi said that "the impact of the deal on peace efforts is linked to the actions Israel will take".
He added: "[Jordan backs] any real effort that contributes to achieving comprehensive and just peace that ends Israeli occupation and meets the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people."
Oman
Oman has welcomed the agreement in an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A ministry spokesperson expressed "the Sultanate’s support for the decision by the United Arab Emirates regarding relations with Israel within the framework of its historic joint declaration with the United States and Israel."
#عاجل
ناطق رسمي باسم وزارة الخارجية يعرب عن تأييد السلطنة قرار دولة #الإمارات العربية المتحدة بشأن العلاقات مع إسرائيل في إطار الإعلان التاريخي المشترك بينها وبين الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل. pic.twitter.com/ZEcq2dPEoN— وكالة الأنباء العمانية (@OmanNewsAgency) August 14, 2020
Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian Authority announced the "immediate" recall of its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates in protest over the country's normalisation deal.
"At the request of President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian foreign ministry has decided to immediately recall its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates," Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a statement to AFP.
Turkey
Ankara condemned the deal on Friday and described the deal as a betrayal of the Palestinian people.
"While betraying the Palestinian cause to serve its narrow interests, the UAE is trying to present this as a kind of act of self-sacrifice for Palestine," the Turkish foreign ministry said.
"History and the conscience of the people living in the region will not forget and never forgive this hypocritical behaviour."
Associated Press Published: 08.14.20
Iran and Turkey lashed out at their regional rival the United Arab Emirates on Friday over its decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel, accusing it of betraying the Palestinian cause, even as much of the international community welcomed the move.
Iran's Foreign Ministry called the U.S.-brokered deal a "dagger that was unjustly struck by the UAE in the backs of the Palestinian people and all Muslims." Turkey said the peoples of the region "will never forget and will never forgive this hypocritical behavior" by the UAE.
A Palestinian woman walks past a mural against Israel's plan to extend its sovereignty over parts of the West Bank, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip July 14, 2020
(Photo: Reuters)
The UAE, which has never fought Israel and has quietly been improving ties for years, said the agreement put a hold on Israel's plans to unilaterally annex parts of the West Bank, which the Palestinians view as the heartland of a future state.
But the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the UAE had no authority to negotiate with Israel on behalf of the Palestinians or "to make concessions on matters vital to Palestine."
The agreement would make the UAE the first Gulf Arab state - and the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan - to have full diplomatic ties with Israel. The Palestinians say the deal amounts to "treason" and have called on Arab and Muslim countries to oppose it.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
(Photo: AP)
The historic deal delivered a key foreign policy victory for U.S. President Donald Trump as he seeks re-election and reflected the changing Middle East in which shared concerns about archenemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians. Trump has predicted that other countries in the region will follow the UAE's lead.
Israel, the UAE and other Gulf countries that view Iran as a regional menace have been cultivating closer ties in recent years. Turkey has had diplomatic relations with Israel for decades, but under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has positioned itself as a champion of the Palestinians. Turkey and the UAE support rival camps in the conflict in Libya.
Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas welcomed both the agreement and the decision to suspend annexation and called to congratulate his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi on "this historic step."
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi
(Photo: AFP)
"We stand by our position that only a negotiated two-state solution can bring lasting peace to the Middle East," Maas said in a statement. "Together with our European partners and the region we have campaigned intensively in past months against an annexation and for the resumption of direct negotiations."
China also said it welcomes "any measure that helps in easing tensions between Middle Eastern countries and promotes regional peace and stability."
Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Beijing will "continue to firmly support the Palestinian people's just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights and building national independence."
SEE
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