Israeli attack on Qatar, annexation of West Bank don’t matter to this powerful Muslim country, to maintain ties with Tel Aviv as…

New Delhi: The Israeli attack on Qatar has sparked protests across the Arab world, which is now united on the Palestinian issue. However, the Gulf nation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken a different stance from other Muslim countries, stating that it will not sever diplomatic relations with Israel even if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government annexes some or all of the West Bank. It added that it may consider downgrading diplomatic ties, but will not completely sever ties between the two countries.

West Bank conflict  

Significantly, Reuters sources reported this news at a time when UAE Foreign Ministry official Lana Nusseibeh, in an interview with The Times of Israel on September 3, stated that any annexation of the West Bank would be a “red line” and jeopardise the Abraham Accords and undermine efforts at regional integration. However, on Thursday, September 18 evening, unnamed Gulf officials refuted this report, confirming that the UAE will not sever ties with Israel. The West Bank remains a focus of the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Palestinians consider it a vital part of their envisioned nation, along with the Gaza Strip.

Meeting of 50 Muslim countries in Doha

This development comes just days after nearly 50 Muslim countries met in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to express solidarity against Israel. The UAE’s neighbours, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Syria, also participated in the meeting. The UAE was also a part of the meeting. All Arab countries held Israel responsible for the massacre in Gaza and condemned the Israeli attack in Doha.

Relations between the UAE and Israel

The United Arab Emirates is one of the few Arab countries that maintains diplomatic relations with Israel, and undermining these ties would be a major blow to the Abraham Accords. The UAE established relations with Israel in 2020. If ties are cut, it could also be a big setback for US President Doland Trump and Netanyahu’s foreign policy. The Israeli government has recently taken steps that could foreshadow the annexation of the West Bank, which was seized from Jordan along with East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. The United Nations and most countries have opposed such a move. Netanyahu, on the other hand, sees annexation as a winning issue ahead of next year’s elections.

HIGHLIGHTS

• This powerful Muslim country will maintain its ties with Israel.
• The Israeli attack on Qatar has sparked protests across the Arab world
• This Gulf has taken a different stance from other Muslim countries.
• It may consider downgrading diplomatic ties, but will not completely sever ties.

UAE Foreign Ministry official Lana Nusseibeh, in an interview with The Times of Israel on September 3, stated that any annexation of the West Bank would be a “red line” and jeopardise the Abraham Accords and undermine efforts at regional integration. The West Bank remains a focus of the Israeli-Palestine conflict.