The process is unprecedented. For the first time, a top arab diplomat in the Gulf has decided to express, in Hebrew, in an israeli newspaper. In a column published Friday by the daily Yediot Aharonot, Youssef al-Otaiba, the ambassador of the united arab Emirates in Washington, warns Israel that annexation of all or part of the west bank, as announced from the 1st of next July, although contrary to international law, would sound the death knell of the reconciliation of the israeli-arab started in the past few years.

” The annexation will certainly put an end to the aspirations israeli to better relations with the arab world and the Uae on the plans safe, economical, and cultural, highlights the influential ambassador émirien, whose country is at the forefront of the warming diplomatic course between the Gulf monarchies (saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Israel. United by a common fear of Iran, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Tel Aviv are little by little become objective allies against the islamic Republic.

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If they do not have formal diplomatic relations, in the absence of a resolution of the intractable israeli-palestinian conflict, the three countries to cooperate, especially in terms of intelligence against the activities of destabilization ” of Iran in the region. The bulk of these exchanges, may remain a secret, some public symbols illustrate unambiguously the change of paradigm in the Middle East. On the 19th of may last, a direct flight of the airline company Etihad Airlines has connected for the first time in Abu Dhabi and Tel-Aviv. Chartered by the united Nations, the cargo plane contained medical aid destined for the palestinian territories in the framework of the fight against the Covid-19. The humanitarian operation was repeated on 9 June.

“In the interest of Israel”

In November 2018 already, the former minister of israeli Culture and Sports Miri Regev accompanied in Abu Dhabi the national team of judo, which participated for the first time at the grand slam of Abu Dhabi in the colours israeli. A month earlier, it was former israeli minister of Communications Ayoub Kara, who had travelled to Dubai to participate in the international conference on telecommunications, at the invitation of his counterpart émirien.

“a Lot of these progress set value when an Etihad flight landed at the airport Ben-Gurion or when an athlete israeli participates in a competition in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be made more difficult,” warns the ambassador Youssef al-Otaiba, in a video interview with the daily émirien The National. “The change of attitude of which you were witnesses – people less hostile towards Israel – could be undermined by the decision to attach it. “

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when Asked by The Point, a diplomatic source in the Gulf recalls the many areas in which Israelis and Arabs could strengthen their cooperation. “Situated at the door of Israel, the Gulf represents all of the capital economic, military and political of the region. These countries could intensify their trade on the security, economic, commercial, scientific and help increase the tolerance of judaism in the region, “says the source, who let themselves go to this confidence :” I would have thought that it would be in the interest of Israel to have better relations with the arab States of the Gulf. “

arab Countries, door-to-false

But under the blow of a triple indictment for corruption, the israeli Prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu, who was appointed in may to head a government of national emergency in the company of the former chief of staff of the Idf, Benny Gantz, sees in the annexation of the west bank as of July 1, a unique opportunity to mark definitely the History of his country, especially that of his ally Donald Trump is no longer certain to win the presidential election of November next. Under the cover of anonymity, an expert living in the Gulf is surprised that considerations of domestic policy of the jewish State will prevail over its long-term safety.

also Read Why the plan Trump is an embarrassment to arab countries

The year 2020 was however under other auspices for the relationship of the israeli-arab. Thanks to their privileged relationship with the administration Trump, Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the prince all-powerful in saudi Arabia, had been quietly accompanied the efforts of Jared Kushner, son-in-law and special advisor to the u.s. president, to cobble together his “peace plan” on the middle East. At the end of January, Youssef al-Otaiba, the ambassador of the united arab Emirates to the United States, was even present at the White House to attend to the revelation of the document.

also Read Jared Kushner, the son-in-law Trump became vice-president bis

campaign Promise to Netanyahu

However, this ” agreement of the century “, has in fact, paved the way for the israeli annexation of the west bank, a campaign promise of Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is merely a hypothetical palestinian State, landlocked, under certain strict conditions. Most importantly, it has put door-to-false the arab countries of the Gulf, in the face of their public opinion, still sensitive to the palestinian issue, forcing them to backtrack.

also Read “The peace plan from Trump can lead us to war”

” We support for years of peace efforts in the middle East, but let’s support enthusiastic of the palestinian people and the peace initiative of the arab world “, reminds us in his op-Youssef al-Otaiba, in reference to the proposal of saudi arabia in 2002, according to which the arab States were ready to normalize their diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for a palestinian State in the 1967 borders (without the israeli settlements in the west bank and the occupied Golan, editor’s NOTE).

Risk of a “major conflict”

to try To bring Israel to reason and to make him give up his project of unilateral annexation, Anwar Gargash, minister of State émirien for foreign Affairs, assured on Twitter that his country was implementing ” all diplomatic means possible to tackle this step and all the risks that it entails for the peace and stability in the region “. “Nobody overestimates the influence of the united arab Emirates,” says the diplomatic source in the Gulf. “This is just to ensure that the Israelis fully understand the choices they have to make. “

other arab States, which recognize officially the State of Israel, are in fact shown to be less diplomatic. In an interview last may 15 in the German weekly Der Spiegel, king Abdullah of Jordan, whose country risks being destabilized by the annexation of the west bank, has warned the jewish State a “major conflict” if it was on the not.

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