Israel, UAE agree to normalise relations-Prelude to war with Iran

**Babak** · 08-13-2020, 05:54 PM

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-i...-idUSKCN25926W

DUBAI/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced an agreement on Thursday that will lead to a full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two states, a move that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to Iran.

Under the accord, which U.S. President Donald Trump helped broker, Israel has agreed to suspend annexing areas of the occupied West Bank as it had been planning to do, White House officials said.

It also firms up opposition to regional power Iran, which the UAE, Israel and the United States view as the main threat in the conflict-riven region.

Israel had signed peace agreements with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. But the UAE, along with most other Arab nations, did not recognise Israel and had no formal diplomatic or economic relations with it until now.

The agreement was the product of lengthy discussions between Israel, the UAE and the United States that accelerated recently, White House officials said.

**AdrianV** · 08-13-2020, 06:20 PM

**Babak** · 08-13-2020, 08:21 PM

^ It clearly shows that Arab states will align with Israel against Iran who they see as a bigger threat.

**Teutone** · 08-13-2020, 08:23 PM

Iran should seek even closer ties to the CSTO

**~~kundur~~** · 08-13-2020, 08:26 PM

Israel has taken control of Arab Wahhabi countries.

A war of attrition between Shias and Wahhabis might next in ME, that would relieve pressure from Israel.

A possible Hezbollah vs. Maronite+France war might pacify Lebanon too.

**sean** · 08-13-2020, 08:33 PM

**StonyArabia** · 08-13-2020, 08:35 PM

UAE and Israel always had warm relationship, though it was under the table but now it’s becoming more official. Yes most Arab states view Iran more of a threat, due to the spread of its ideological Shiaism and its massive size in population and landmass. Israel is not a threat population wise or ideologically. However this is between governments but the people in the streets might have different viewpoints. The Iraq war of 2003, saw Iran having lots of influence there, as well in the Levant, thus the Arab gulf nations are afraid. At one point the Gulf nations actually encouraged Iraq to invade Iran, bit I’ve that saw Iraq quickly annexing land in the initial stages of the war, they actually were afraid, and began to take their support away. Once Iraq invaded Kuwait, well they fought against it. The point being is the Arab Gulf nations saw Iraq pre 1991 as a protector against Persian Iran. After 1991 they saw Iraq trying to be an empire at their expense. Then after 2003, they saw Iraq becoming increasingly an Iranian puppet and hence why they see Israel as less of a threat. Shia Iraq is next door, which means Iran is nearby. If the Gulf nations see interest with Iran they would be friends with it, they are very opportunistic.