UAE, Israel, US issue joint statement reaffirming peace plans; will cooperate in 7 key areas

During a historic visit by an American and Israeli delegation to the UAE on Monday, August 31, the UAE, Israel and the US have termed the Abraham Accords that they agreed upon on August 13, “a courageous step towards a more stable, integrated and prosperous Middle East.”

The delegation led by Jared Kushner, Senior Adviser to US President Donald Trump, was received in Abu Dhabi by the UAE’s National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The delegation includes US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien and Meir Ben-Shabbat head of the Israeli National Security Council.

They flew from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi’s presidential airport marking the first commercial flight from Israel to the UAE.

Read: Watch: First direct commercial flight from Israel to the UAE lands in Abu Dhabi

At the airport, Ben-Shabbat read a statement in Arabic. He said: “There are no limits for improvement in many fields [between the UAE and Israel] like innovation, tourism, aviation, agriculture, energy and many others.”

Later on Monday, the UAE, Israel and the US subsequently issued a joint statement by the three countries, reiterating that the Abraham Accords was geared towards ensuring peace within the region.

“It inverts traditional thinking about the way to address the region’s problems and challenges, focusing on pragmatic steps that have tangible, practical outcomes. It carries with it the promise of new bridges that will serve to de-escalate existing conflicts and prevent future conflicts,” read the statement.

“And it comes at the right time. Over the last decade we have seen a marked increase in war, destruction and dislocation, and a growing demographic shift towards a younger population. If we are to meet the needs of current and future generations, we must be responding actively to all these changes.”

“On Saturday, the UAE formally abolished its 40-year boycott law, thereby allowing UAE companies and individuals to trade directly with Israel.”

Read: UAE President Sheikh Khalifa scraps Israel boycott law

While communication channels between Israel and the UAE have now opened, Emirati and Israeli companies have already started discussing collaborations on areas ranging from foreign affairs to food security and research on Covid-19 treatments.

The statement further read: “Tomorrow, Emirati, Israeli and American officials will begin discussing bilateral technical cooperation in seven key areas: investment, finance, health, the civilian space program, civil aviation, foreign policy and diplomatic affairs, and tourism and culture.”

The Abraham Accords agreed for UAE to normalise relations with Israel in exchange for Israel ceasing further annexation of Palestinian territories. The joint statement issued on Monday, referenced the Palestinian cause as well. It said: “The United States and the UAE urge Palestinian leaders to re-engage with their Israeli counterparts in discussions aimed at achieving peace.”

Also on Monday, in a separate event during a video conference meeting organised by the Palestinian community in the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that the UAE remains committed to the cause of an independent Palestinian state.

Sheikh Abdullah said: “UAE’s stance will remain supportive of the Arab stand calling for establishing an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“I’d like to assure all the audience here that the UAE sees peace building as a strategic necessity for the region. However, this strategic necessity will not come at the expense of our support for the Palestinian cause and the rights of our fraternal Palestinian people.”

The UAE is only the third Arab country – the other two being Jordan and Egypt – to normalise relations with Israel.