21-September-2023-Special-Article

ABRAHAM ACCORDS

What is Abraham Accord?

The Abraham Accords are bilateral agreements on Arab–Israeli normalization signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on September 15, 2020. Three months later, in December 2020, Morocco joined the process, signing a normalization agreement with Israel. This initiative was brokered by US.

What is the genesis of the Arab-Israel Conflict?

The Arab–Israeli conflict is an ongoing intercommunal phenomenon involving political tension, military conflicts, and other disputes between various Arab countries and Israel, over the dispute of Arabs-Palestine of rightful ownership of the entire land under dispute including Jerusalem. 

The present position of land holding

What was the thought process behind this Abraham Accords?

The catalyst that enabled these historic accords was the decision by the parties to promote a stable future for West Asia.

The agreements have ushered in a new era of normalization and peace that not only connects governments but also brings people together, despite the differences in their language, religious beliefs, cultures and more.

Why in News?

This week marks an important milestone for West Asia and North Africa: three years since the signing of the Abraham Accords.

Benefits of this Accord

So far, the Abraham Accords have offered a mere glimpse into the full potential of regional cooperation. Even so, the scope of trade between Israel and other West Asian countries increased 74% between 2021 and 2022.

Another example is tourism, mostly non-existent in the past, which has skyrocketed. In 2021, visits from Israel to the UAE increased by 172%. Meanwhile, the number of Israelis flying to Bahrain since the establishment of direct flights has increased exponentially.

Benefits for Indians

Benefit to the business community: The Abraham Accords have also opened up exciting opportunities for India and its thriving business community, which maintains strong relations and active engagement with our nations.

The enhanced regional connectivity has also brought significant benefits to the people of India.

Benefits to the Indian Diaspora: The vibrant Indian diaspora in the Gulf now has the convenience of direct flights between the UAE and Israel, as well as between Israel and Bahrain.

Benefit to the students: Indian students are enjoying increased ease of travel, gaining improved access to our universities and the opportunity to explore international study programmes.

Benefits to the Region as a whole

Increased Regional Cooperation: The Accords have also had a significant influence on reinforcing Israel’s relations with neighbouring countries. For example, the Prosperity Green & Blue agreement between Israel, the UAE, and Jordan determined that a solar field to supply 600 megawatts of electricity to Israel would be established in Jordan, while in return, a desalination plant in Israel would deliver 200 million cubic meters of water to Jordan.

Regional and multinational cooperation: Furthermore, the Accords have laid the foundation for expanded regional and multinational cooperation, and this has resulted in a flow of economic opportunities reaching India.

Benefitting the private sector: Notably, we have witnessed substantial commercial collaborations between companies from the UAE, Israel, Bahrain, and the U.S., partnering with the Indian private sector.

Paved the way for the birth of I2U2 Group: A concrete illustration of this high-level economic cooperation between our governments is the establishment of the I2U2 Group, formed by Israel, India, the UAE, and the U.S.  Its primary focus will be on joint investments in critical areas such as water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.

Programme for youth

In a region where 65% of the population is under 30 years of age, providing the younger generation with opportunities is a key factor in preventing instability.

To that end, youth delegations have been initiated, encouraging bonds between tomorrow’s leaders.

Joint Collaboration and Education: In the summer of 2022, Ben-Gurion University welcomed students from Morocco. Additionally, a number of Emirati students have enrolled in Israeli universities.

Bahrain has also embraced the prospects for shared educational activities and signed a number of agreements with Israel to advance student and professor exchanges.

Embracing cultures

In a notable example the UAE incorporated Holocaust education into its school curriculum as a mandatory subject, attestation to the ability of the Abraham Accords to foster coexistence and religious tolerance.

True Potential of the Abraham Accords

The Abraham Accords have shown unity’s power to inspire. They offer a window into the potential future of the region and demonstrate that when both the leaders and ordinary citizens prioritize peace and cooperation, a far better future for West Asia is possible.

Israel hopes that many more countries will join this endeavour, creating a brighter tomorrow for the sake of all our children.

India holds a significant position among our partners, and the scope of our collaboration underscores our shared interests, including championing a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding trade, addressing climate change, and countering threats to international security.

Our nations share a special bond with India and its people, and we remain committed to realizing the full potential of the Accords as partners in peace and prosperity.

Criticism of the Accord

The scope of the Abraham Accords has also failed to bring in new members. Despite some softening in its position on bilateral relations Saudi Arabia has held firm in its commitment to the pre-existing Arab Peace Initiative (API) (The Arab peace initiative states that: “A military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties).

Also Read

Another Saudi led Peace Plan

On Monday, September 16, 2023 a new peace plan for Israel and Palestine was launched, during a closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly currently taking place in New York.

The meeting, which was reportedly attended by nearly 70 countries and international organizations, was led by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

The meeting was finalized at producing a ‘Peace Supporting Package’, which “will maximize peace dividends for the Palestinians and Israelis once they reach a peace agreement.”

Mains Questions

1. Discuss how, the Abraham Accords can be a guiding light for peaceful resolution of India-Pak conflict? (150 Words) 10 Marks

 

1. For any peace initiative to succeed, there has to be a visible element of accommodation by both the parties to the issue. In the absence of the same, peace will remain elusive. Comment in the light of the Abraham Accords completing 3 years (150 Words) 10 Marks