Berkowitz: No indication Palestinians returning to talks

But US official Avi Berkowitz says there are channels of communication

Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ignited protests and led to Palestine severing its diplomatic ties with the US. EPA

US Special Representative for International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz on Tuesday said there was no expectation that the Palestinian Authority leadership would return to the table soon.

Mr Berkowitz, an assistant to President Donald Trump, told The National that the administration had channels with the Palestinian Authority and business leaders despite the absence of direct talks since December 2018.

“They haven’t come to the table since December of 2017," he said.

"Do they feel the lives of the Palestinian people have got better because of abandoning the negotiations?”

On Tuesday at the White House, the UAE, Bahrain and Israel signed the Abraham Accords. The UAE and Israel's agreement had been announced on August 13 after a phone call between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The text of the UAE-Israel peace treaty signed on Tuesday stresses the importance of a negotiated peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and the need to meet their goals and aspirations.

A halting of Israel's planned annexation of Palestinian territories was a key part of the agreement for the UAE to normalise relations.

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

At the ceremony on Tuesday, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation thanked Mr Netanyahu for halting the annexation, “a decision that reinforces our shared will to achieve a better future for generations to come”.

The accord enables the UAE “to continue to stand by the Palestinian people and realise their hopes for an independent state within a stable and prosperous region”, Sheikh Abdullah said.

It also “builds upon previous peace agreements signed by Arab nations” with Israel. Jordan and Egypt signed their treaties with Israel in 1994 and 1979 respectively.

Hopes for negotiations with other Arab countries

Mr Berkowitz expressed more hope in having breakthroughs with other Arab countries after the UAE and Bahrain signed agreements with Israel on Tuesday.

“There is momentum and hope in the region and we are working on finding a solution," he said. "And these are detailed, complex negotiations,” he said.

Mr Berkowitz said he was hopeful that another accord would be announced before the November 3 presidential election because of the persistence of Mr Trump.

On Tuesday, Mr Trump said five or six countries could join.

Later in the day, he said “seven or eight or nine” Arab countries are potentials, “including the big ones".

Mr Trump was non-committal about Saudi Arabia earlier on Tuesday.

"I have had very personal talks with the king and the crown prince and I think their minds are very open," he said.

Later, Mr Trump said: "At the right time, I think they will come in.”

He said the Palestinians were giving strong signals that they wanted to be part of the negotiations but it would happen only after others joined.

"I think they are seeing what is happening and we've been given very strong signals that they'd like to be a part of what is happening," Mr Trump said.

"We will see the Palestinians at some point, but before we see the Palestinians, we will see other very important countries come into this transaction."

The Palestinian Authority cut its relations with the Trump administration after the US embassy moved to Jerusalem in December 2018, which was followed by a suspension of aid and closure of the Palestine Liberation Organisation office in Washington.

Mr Berkowitz has been a key member of the White House team that helped broker the Abraham Accords. Senior adviser Jared Kushner has led the effort to find a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during Mr Trump's first term as president and has made public the economic parts of the US peace plan.

Dr Gargash says 'region deserves prosperity' 

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, said "the history of the region is that whenever the Arabs have tried peace it hasn't been easy but it has had results".

Speaking after the signing of the accords to former diplomats and parliamentarians, at a webinar organised by the Emirates Society, he said "disengaging is not the right policy - events have shown that the policy of the empty chair does not work".

"Engage, engage, engage. Not engaging is not a policy, the region deserves peace and deserves prosperity."

The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative which "as a concept of land for peace is still there", he said.

"I don't see what we have done, what Bahrain has done, in anyway kills it."

The plan includes establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He said it would help if Western countries such as Britain recognised Palestine as a state.

"Recognition of a Palestinian state is both admirable and important," he added.

Dr Gargash said both the UAE and Israel should have full scale relations with resident ambassadors and bilateral visits. Such exchanges should be scaled up within days rather than months.

"Shattering the psychological barrier is the biggest task, other issues are not easy but are easier to manage."

There was a need to regularise these relationships with agreements governing consular, investment, air services and other sectors, he said.