White House announces terms of Israel–UAE and Israel–Bahrain agreements

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, the White House announced the basic terms of the “Treaty of Peace, Diplomatic Relations, and Full Normalization Between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel” which included recognition and respect for each other’s sovereignty, commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes between the two countries, the establishment of embassies and the exchange of ambassadors, and the commitment of both countries to take steps to prevent any hostile action from their lands against the other country.

Although the agreement, officially titled the Abraham Accords, states that the two countries pledge to continue their efforts to reach a just solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict that meets the legitimate needs and aspirations of the two peoples, it is devoid of any reference to the Arab Peace Initiative or previous U.N. Security Council resolutions and even the concept of a two-state solution.

In Russia’s first official comment on the agreement, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stated, “If this will lead to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and the settlement of all problems, including the resolution of the Palestinian issue, it is certainly a positive thing.”

Bogdanov noted the need to evaluate the agreements concluded on the basis of subsequent developments, noting that the agreement was a sovereign decision and that it was important not to harm efforts to settle the Israeli–Palestinian conflict on the basis of the internationally recognized legal basis.

Bogdanov also said that Russia has received assurances that the Emirates and Bahrain, who signed a similar agreement with Israel, are committed to the Arab peace initiative and the resolution of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the principle of a two-state solution, which calls for the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.