Maj.-Gen.(ret.) Giora Eiland is not worried about the F-35 sale to UAE, but he is worried about the ideas that such a sale will give other Arab states. BUT WHATEVER Israel demands in return, it knows that the UAE might not be the only country in the region that ends up requesting that Washington sell […]
One Israeli General Who is Unworried by the F-35 Sale to the UAE (Part 1)
Opposition by Israeli military men to the sale of the state-of-the-art F-35 Stealth fighter jet to the UAE has been nearly unanimous. However, one important retired general thinks that even with that sale, there are other ways to preserve Israel’s “qualitative military edge” (QME). That story is here. A historic normalization deal between Israel and […]
Israel, the UAE, and Those Worrisome F-35s
Israel objects – and has been firm in stating its objections – to an American sale of state-of-the-art F-35 Stealth fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates. And while the UAE has taken the Israeli objections with ill-grace, security cooperation between the two nations is in every other respect, going like gangbusters. Here’s the story […]
Another Reason to Curb Your Enthusiasm About the UAE Promise of ‘Normalization’
The United Arab Emirates, apparently “outraged” that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has voiced his opposition to the sale of the state-of-the-art F-35 Stealth fighter jets to the Emirates, cancelled a public meeting that was to be held jointly with American and Israeli representatives. The story is here. A planned public meeting between the UN ambassadors […]
UAE Foreign Affairs Adviser and Pundit: Arab Support For Palestinians Is Waning
There are many reasons for the Arabs to be tired of the Palestinians. In the first place, the constant demands for Arab financial support — in recent times seldom met — come with ill grace from Hamas, just two of whose leaders, Khaled Meshaal and Mousa Ibn Marzouk, have each amassed fortunes of at least […]
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Saudi Arabia Wants Israel to Pay an ‘Expensive Price’
The enthusiasm in Israel for the normalization agreement with the UAE has caused some to lose their heads. The Jerusalem Post published an editorial on August 19 claiming that there was no reason for Israel to worry about the proposed sale by the U.S. to the UAE of the top-of-the-line Stealth fighter jet, the F-35, […]
Notes On Normalization and That Sale of F-35s
Here are some developments connected to the announcement of the agreement between the UAE and Israel to “normalize” relations 1. Someone in the Emirates – a proud parent, perhaps? – has posted a video of a young Emirati girl playing the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikva.” It is being interpreted hopefully – by both Emiratis and […]
Leading Saudi Journalist Defends the UAE-Israel Agreement (Part 2)
In yesterday’s article about Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rashed, we saw that the senior Saudi journalist believes that the Palestinians should be free of attempts by Arab states to dictate what they “must” do. Similarly, he thinks that the policies of Arab states should not be held in thrall to what the Palestinians want, but should be […]
Leading Saudi Journalist Defends the UAE-Israel Agreement (Part 1)
The leading Saudi journalist Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rashed has forcefully rejected criticism from other Arab and Muslim states, and from the Palestinians themselves, of the new agreement between Israel and the UAE. At MEMRI.org a summary of his main points, followed by a transcript, are here. In his August 15, 2020 column in the Saudi London-based […]
Kuwait Promises It Will Be ‘The Last Arab State’ to Normalize Relations with Israel
In all the flurry of delight expressed both in Israel and the United Arab Emirates over their just-announced “normalization of ties,” and the widespread speculation over which Arab countries might be next to follow the UAE’s lead – will it be Bahrain, Oman, Morocco, Sudan, Saudi Arabia? – the greatest anger at the UAE’s move […]
Iran’s Rouhani Doesn’t Like the UAE’s “Normalization” of Ties with Israel
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has delivered himself of some unsurprising harsh remarks about the UAE’s willingness to normalize relations with Israel. His fury is evident here. The United Arab Emirates made a “huge mistake” by taking steps toward normalization with Israel, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech on Saturday. For its part, […]
Is UAE Bringing Arab-Israeli Peace at Last?
Jewish News Syndicate editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin joins show Conservative Casual Friday show host Andrew E. Harrod to discuss the recent groundbreaking August 13, 2020, peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Under this Abraham Accord, named after Abraham, a patriarch claimed by both Jews and Muslims, the United Arab Emirates has agreed […]
Saudi, Emirati Researchers Defend UAE’s Normalization Agreement with Israel
While the Palestinians have been venting their fury over the UAE-Israel “normalization,” several Arab academics have defended the agreement as making the Palestinians the “biggest winners.” The story is here. Abd al-Aziz bin Razen, a prominent Saudi academic and researcher, defended the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, saying it […]
After the UAE, Is Bahrain Next?
Now that the United Arab Emirates has agreed to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, and to engage in a full panoply of undertakings, involving technology, trade, tourism, agriculture, medicine, solar energy, and defense, among other fields, other Arab states are lining up. Tiny Bahrain appears to be next. Its ruler, Hamad bin Isa Al […]
Palestinians Enraged Over UAE Peace with Israel
Naturally, the news that the UAE has recognized Israel and will engage in “normalization” with the Jewish state has enraged the Palestinians. They do not want any Arab country to act to further its own interests in dealing with Israel; it is the Palestinians who must call the shots. The latest on Palestinian rage over […]
Iran: ‘The UAE’s great betrayal of the Palestinian people will turn this country into a legitimate and easy target’
This is the expected reaction, but this time pragmatic considerations are getting more attention than usual, and the Islamic world is not marching in lockstep with this theme. “Iran threatens to attack UAE over Israel deal,” Arab News, August 16, 2020: DUBAI/PARIS/ANKARA: Iran issued an explicit threat on Saturday to launch an attack against the UAE […]
‘Palestinians’ Are Enraged at Trump’s Israel-UAE Deal, Which Means It Must Be Good
My latest in PJ Media: “The Palestinian leadership rejects and denounces the UAE, Israeli and US trilateral, surprising, announcement,” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a senior adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. That was just one indication of how welcome, how much of a breath of fresh air, the agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel […]
Trump announces ‘historic peace agreement’ between Israel and the United Arab Emirates
This is indeed historic, and shows a weakening of the lockstep and Islam-based hatred of Israel that has dominated the Arab and Muslim states’ response to the Jewish state up to now, with very few exceptions. Netanyahu and the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan thank Trump for his “dedication to peace in […]
After Hagia Sophia, Muslim Ruler Wonders, Why Not the Cordoba Cathedral?
The ruler of Sharjah, among the lesser of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, has apparently been so impressed with Turkish President Erdogan’s turning Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque that he has “demanded” – not asked, but demanded – that the cathedral in Cordoba be turned again into a mosque. […]
UAE Foreign Minister Warns On Israeli Annexation Plans
The UAE ambassador to Washington was one of three Arab representatives – the other two were the ambassadors of Bahrain and Oman – to attend the White House ceremony announcing the Trump Administration’s “Deal of the Century.” The presence of these ambassadors was taken as a sign of approval of the Trump Plan by their […]