In a joint statement Israel President Ben Netanyahu, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Al Nahyan and US President Trump have announced the brokering of what will be only the third Israel - Arab peace deal since Israel's declaration of independence.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53770859
Whilst a historic moment, the real shaking of hands (or not due to corona risk) is still to take place as will a great deal more discussions and signing of treaties. However as a rather positive sign at this stage it appears Israel will suspend its planned annexation of large bits of the Occupied West Bank. Whether or not the gesture is purely out of good will or not remains to be seen as other sources suggest the real motive for the suspension is potentially more related to the pandemic which has drastically flared in Israel in the past month.
It is believed that shared feelings of unease about the situation and actions of Iran have brought the UAE and Israel together into this discussion and so naturally many are looking at how far the US is extending its hand into this.
What says you NSG members? Considering the tangled, bloody history and heavily entrenched feelings over this matter do you think a new page can truly be turned and the ink of history will mark this as the beginning of real change? Or perhaps this may go as things have before, rather sideways culminating in further, bitter strife?
I spent some time in Israel earlier this year and did a good bit of poking around this subject. Certainly there are clear advocates for more annexation and pushing Israeli territory further and further, however I did find a real sense of unease on the matter, with several voices questioning the rationale behind pushing for more. What was there to gain?
Personally I'd hope this "sticks" in the sense of creating a baseline for things to settle upon, however there are many nagging questions and snags on the borders there which I don't think will go away too soon, treaty or not.
