Abraham Accords critical in opening region to full potential, US official says

UAE and Israel's relationship 'shows what can be gained by building ties'

Chris Hodges, US deputy assistant secretary for assistance, co-ordination and public diplomacy at Expo 2020 Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National

The Abraham Accords have been “critical” for unleashing the full potential of the Middle East, as demonstrated by the UAE-Israeli relationship one year after the agreements were signed, a senior US official told The National.

“The Abraham Accords and other normalisation agreements have been really critical in opening up the potential of the region and demonstrating the commonalities, shared values and goals of Israel and Arab partners,” said Chris Hodges, deputy assistant secretary for assistance, co-ordination and public diplomacy at the State Department’s Bureau for Near Eastern Affairs.

Last year, the UAE signed a deal that formally established ties with Israel, which was seen as one of the most significant breakthroughs in the Middle East peace process.

I was really struck by the magnitude of the achievement at Expo and what the UAE has been able to do. For me it underscores the many ways that we are co-operating

Chris Hodges,
US State Department

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to suspend his plan to annex parts of the West Bank as part of the agreement.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, speaks to Donald Trump, US president at the time, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office in September 2020. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state at the time. Wam

Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Pompeo in Washington. Wam

Sheikh Abdullah visits Washington in September last year. Wam

Sheikh Abdullah, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, US President Donald Trump, centre, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sign the Abraham Accord at the White House South Lawn. MOFAIC

Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House. MOFAIC

Sheikh Abdullah, Mr Al Zayani and Mr Netanyahu at the White House during the Abraham Accord signing ceremony. MOFAIC

Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Netanyahu, Mr Trump and Mr Al Zayani wave from the Truman Balcony at the White House. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump sign the Abraham Accord. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump after the signing ceremony. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah and, from left, Mr Al Zayani, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump after the signing ceremony. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accord. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah speaks as Mr Trump looks on before the signing of Abraham Accord on the South Lawn of the White House. AP

Sheikh Abdullah looks on from the White House as Mr Trump speaks at the Abraham Accord signing ceremony, also attended by Mr Al Zayani and Mr Netanyahu. AP

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani stand on the Blue Room Balcony during the signing ceremony. AP

Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Al Zayani shortly before participating in the signing of the Abraham Accord. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah, with Mr Netanyahu, left, and Mr Al Zayani at the signing of the Abraham Accord on the South Lawn of the White House. AFP

US President Donald Trump speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accord. AFP

President Donald Trump walks to the Abraham Accord signing ceremony at the White House with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. AP

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives at the White House to attend the Abraham Accord signing ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump. EPA

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House before the signing of Abraham Accord. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, in the Oval Office. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah with Mr Trump in the Oval Office. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, with by President Donald Trump at the White House. Mustafa Alrawi / The National

The UAE delegation led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Mustafa Alrawi / The National

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, is welcomed to the White House by US President Donald Trump. EPA

Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Trump outside the White House. AFP

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed speaks to Mr Trump after arriving at the White House. Reuters

White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner walks away following a television interview on the North Lawn at the White House in Washington. Reuters

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome the arrival of Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington DC. AFP

A delegation of senior UAE officials led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, prepares to depart for the White House to sign the Abraham Accord. MOFAIC

US President Donald Trump welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. AFP

Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani arrives at the White House in Washington DC. AFP

US President Donald Trump welcomes Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP

Preparations at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord.

Preparations under way at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord.

Preparations under way at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord.

Preparation at the White House for the signing of the Abraham Accord. The National

Mr Hodges said the relationship between the UAE and Israel demonstrated to other regional states what they “can gain” by building ties.

“The Emirati-Israeli relationship demonstrates all the benefits of that relationship,” he said. The countries are “seeing the dividends” of their newly established ties, he said.

Helping Emiratis and Israelis understand each other

Mr Hodge, who served as the head of the Palestinian Affairs Unit at the US Embassy in Israel, said more work needed to be done.

“There remains a good deal of momentum to do more and to try to more concertedly articulate what the Abraham Accords means for these relationships, so we want to be supportive as much as we can,” he said.

Mr Hodges, who is on a visit to the UAE, said Washington was hoping to witness similar agreements in the future that would enhance multilateral investment, tourism, education and initiatives to fight climate change.

“We hope that the Abraham Accords can be a driver into achieving these things, whether it be new investment, partnerships, educational partnerships, things that allow the Palestinian people to benefit from this momentum in the region,” he said.

Shortly after the announcement that the UAE and Israel were seeking to formally establish ties in August last year, Bahrain joined the effort.

The Abraham Accords were formally signed between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain in Washington on September 15, 2020, opening the door for diplomatic, trade, travel and business ties between them.

The UAE and Israel opened embassies in each other's countries in the past year, formalising their commitment to peace in the region.

“It’s important to think about what it means to open up an embassy for a relationship, it’s not just the governments coming together, it’s the civil society, the tourism, investments,” Mr Hodges said.

He said the Accords had helped Emiratis and Israelis to better understand each other.

“This is what an embassy does, it focuses on commonality. I think it’s exciting and I look forward to more such relationships in the region because these countries have so much to offer each other,” he said.

US-UAE relations

The US official described relations between Abu Dhabi and Washington as “wide-ranging, strong and maturing".

“It is certainly valuable for both sides across a number of different areas and spheres,” he said.

Last year, the UAE and US began a new strategic dialogue.

They agreed to focus on UAE-US ties in eight key areas: politics, defence, law enforcement and border security, intelligence and counterterrorism, human rights, economics, culture and academic co-operation and space.

“I was really struck by the magnitude of the achievement at Expo and what the UAE has been able to do, for me it underscores the many ways that we are co-operating outside the traditional spheres,” he said.

The US pavilion at Expo “demonstrates the deep cultural ties that we enjoy”, he said.

Mr Hodges said Washington's commitment in the region was to “continue to support Israel as a partner and that’s why the normalising agreements are exciting opportunities to grow partnerships in the region".

“We want to build a series of stable partners that we can both help and be helped by, as we continue our engagements in the Middle East,” he said.