The Missing Peace in the Abraham Accords
Heaps of hype at the Israel-Emirati-Bahraini festivities on the White House lawn—but no hope for peace, Palestinians, or the Middle East
by Daniel Levy
September 17, 2020 - The American Prospect
▻https://prospect.org/world/missing-peace-in-abraham-accords-israel-uae
(...) Since its establishment, Israel has fought in at least six wars involving various Arab states, with perhaps another five if one includes two campaigns against Palestinian intifadas and periodic escalations with Gaza and the devastation wrought there. These wars have, cumulatively, involved tens of thousands of casualties.
Did Tuesday’s ceremonial treaty signings at least lay some of that to rest? Er, hate to break it to you, but again, nada.
More from Daniel Levy: Don’t Call It a Peace Plan
The UAE and Bahrain have now signed the so-called Abraham Accords on the White House lawn, committing to normalize and conduct mutually expansive relations with Israel that would far exceed the ongoing limited exchanges Israel has with Egypt and Jordan. But the UAE and Bahrain have never been at war with Israel, never so much as fired a shot in anger against Israel; they have no unresolved territorial or other dispute, and their capitals are 1,260 miles and 1,000 miles, respectively, from Jerusalem.
That Donald Trump was able to package and market as “peace” the upgrading of bilateral relations between countries not party to any conflict is galling. (...)