The Arab League rejected a Palestinian Authority (PA) resolution condemning the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a Sept. 9 meeting.
PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said during the meeting that the UAE violated the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative stating that Arab nations will not normalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established under pre-1967 borders, The Jerusalem Post reported.
“It has become imperative for us to take a stance rejecting this step,” al-Maliki said. “Otherwise, our meeting will be considered a blessing or collusion with it.”
The Times of Israel reported that senior Arab League official Hussam Zaki said that the PA refused to consider any resolution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that didn’t condemn the Israel-UAE agreement. PA official Hussein al-Sheikh decried the resolution’s failure as “the triumph of money over dignity.”
UAE State of Foreign Affairs Minister Anwar Gargash defended his country’s pact with Israel arguing that “the deal managed to stop Israel’s annexation plans in the West Bank,” Axios reported.
The American Jewish Committee tweeted, “We welcome the Arab League’s decision to reject a Palestinian draft resolution that would have condemned the UAE for its normalization agreement with Israel. The Abraham Accord offers a clear path toward broader Arab-Israeli cooperation and peace.”
We welcome the Arab League's decision to reject a Palestinian draft resolution that would have condemned the UAE for its normalization agreement with Israel.
The Abraham Accord offers a clear path toward broader Arab-Israeli cooperation and peace.https://t.co/Wznu9zpIlO
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) September 9, 2020
British researcher David Collier tweeted, “For decades the Arab league was the ‘go to place’ for demonisation and condemnation of Israel. Times are changing.”
It seems as if the Arab League just rejected Palestinian proposal to condemn the deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
For decades the Arab league was the 'go to place' for demonisation and condemnation of Israel.
Times are changing.
— David Collier (@mishtal) September 9, 2020
The official signing ceremony of the Israel-UAE deal will take place on Sept. 15 at the White House and will feature Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed appearing together publicly.
