The United Arab Emirates stays dedicated to the institution of a Palestinian state and to the phrases of the Arab Peace Initiative, a senior official from the Arab Gulf state informed The Occasions of Israel on Thursday, in uncommon on-the-record remarks to Israeli media.
Hend al-Otaiba, the director of strategic communications on the UAE’s Overseas Ministry, was commenting hours after the UAE’s settlement to totally normalized relations with Israel was introduced, and shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he nonetheless finally meant to increase Israeli sovereignty to elements of the West Financial institution.
She indicated that the suspension of Netanyahu’s annexation plan paved the way in which to Thursday’s breakthrough deal. “The UAE, US and Israel have agreed on suspending Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories as a way to set up bilateral relations in direction of a steady and peaceable area through dialogue and diplomacy,” she stated.
UAE Overseas Ministry spokesperson Hend al-Otaiba (Twitter)
“The UAE is dedicated to the Arab Peace Initiative and the rights of the Palestinian individuals for an impartial state in peaceable coexistence with the state of Israel,” she added.
First adopted by the Arab League in 2002, the Arab Peace Initiative requires full diplomatic ties between Israel and your entire Arab and Muslim world in alternate for a “full Israeli withdrawal from all of the Arab territories occupied since June 1967,” the institution of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a “simply” and “agreed upon” answer to the Palestinian refugee query.
Requested for clarification of the UAE’s place on the Arab Peace Initiative, a spokesperson subsequently replied: “A two-state answer is on the coronary heart of the Arab Peace Initiative. Within the absence of a freeze on annexation, a two-state answer will shortly stop to be a chance.”
Abu Dhabi stays dedicated to the “outcomes” of the Arab Peace Initiative, “and sees as we speak’s settlement with the US and Israel as fairly probably the final channel by means of which to realize these outcomes,” the spokesperson added.
Earlier on Thursday, the UAE, Israel and the US issued a joint assertion saying an settlement on “the complete normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.” The Emirates introduced the transfer, which was bitterly rejected by the Palestinian Authority, as an achievement for West Financial institution Palestinians, in that it halts Israel’s plans to annex elements of the territory.
Historic day.
The three-way name resulted in an settlement to cease Israeli annexation of Palestinian lands. UAE has labored strenuously over the previous months for this diplomatic achievement, which can convey stability to the area and help the peace course of.— هند مانع العتيبة Hend Al Otaiba
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The UAE’s de facto ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, issued a press release that led with the edges reaching an settlement “to cease additional Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories,” and solely then added that the edges “additionally agreed to cooperation and setting a roadmap in direction of establishing a bilateral relationship.”
The nation’s minister of state of overseas affairs, Anwar Gargash, additionally harassed that Israel is “freezing the choice to annex the Palestinian territories,” characterizing it as “a fantastic achievement for the way forward for the area, its individuals, and the world,” solely then acknowledging that “the UAE is using its determination for regular relations with Israel.”
The nation was doing so “With brave initiative, to protect the probabilities of a two-state answer,” Gargash stated, including that the nation “requires the resumption of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, and is dedicated to working with mates to ascertain safety and make sure the stability of the area.”
Throughout a name with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an settlement was reached to cease additional Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories. The UAE and Israel additionally agreed to cooperation and setting a roadmap in direction of establishing a bilateral relationship.
— محمد بن زايد
The Gulf nation’s ambassador the US, Yousef al-Otaiba, stated the Palestinians, too, want to profit from the settlement, emphasizing that Abu Dhabi would proceed to push for the institution of a Palestinian state.
“The UAE will stay a powerful supporter of the Palestinian individuals — for his or her dignity, their rights and their very own sovereign state,” al-Otaiba stated in a press release. “They have to profit too in normalization. As we have now for 50 years, we’ll forcefully advocate for these ends, now instantly and bolstered with stronger incentives, coverage choices and diplomatic instruments.”
Mohammad Issa Abu Shehab, UAE ambassador to the EU, informed Emirates TV the step was most essential for its success in “freezing all Israeli plans for Palestinian land.”
Nonetheless, a senior Israeli official stated Netanyahu’s annexation plan was solely “quickly suspended” to permit for the signing of the settlement with the Emirates.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discusses the settlement for Israel and the UAE to ascertain diplomatic relations, on the Prime Minister’s Workplace in Jerusalem, on August 13, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/FLASH90)
Netanyahu himself later insisted throughout a press convention that annexation remained on the table, although he acknowledged that Trump had requested that the transfer be placed on “non permanent maintain” for now.
“I stated I might lengthen sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. There isn’t any change in my plan to increase our sovereignty in Judea and Samaria with full coordination with the US,” he stated. “I’m dedicated to that, and it hasn’t modified. The problem stays on the desk. I’m the one who put it on the desk… I’ll by no means compromise on our rights in our land.”
Occasions of Israel workers contributed to this report.