15 August 2020

The Australian Friends of Palestine Association is concerned about the apparent accord between the United Arab Emirates and Israel on two main counts.

The first is that the two parties have apparently reached agreement on something to do with Palestine, in concert with the USA, without consulting Palestine or involving the Palestinian Authority in negotiations leading to this point.

The second is the lack of clarity surrounding Israeli plans to further annex the West Bank, which Israel has progressively undertaken over many years, by simply moving Jewish settlers on to Palestinian land and into Palestinian homes and farms. In other words, by stealing Palestinian territory.

AFOPA chairwoman Edie Bransbury noted there was no commitment from Israel to abandon annexation, and that Palestinian leaders have rejected and denounced the so-called deal.

US President Donald Trump has said the agreement includes a commitment to abandon annexation, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said annexation plans remained “on the table”.

“It appears this agreement has delivered nothing tangible for Palestinians,” Ms Bransbury said. “It seems to be more about Trump and Netanyahu playing to their respective constituencies at a time when they’re under political pressure.”

Ms Bransbury said AFOPA understood the Palestinian sense of betrayal by the UAE.

She noted and supported comments by Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who said that if Israel treated agreement with the UAE as an incentive to end the occupation of the West Bank it would move the region towards a just peace. If not, it would deepen the Arab-Israeli conflict and further threaten the security of the region.