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UAE steps up strike on Syria
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) announces $100 million in aid to Turkey and Syria, setting a new benchmark for international assistance.
The earthquake in Abu Dhabi claimed more than 45,000 lives, including more than 6,000 in Syria, and Abu Dhabi’s response was a blend of compassion, consensus and realism typical of the UAE’s founding father, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
UAE foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (ABZ) last week in washington after his trip to syriawhere he met with the President Bashar al-AssadThe Biden administration, which has no ties to Assad and has imposed multiple sanctions on Syria, welcomed the UAE’s move to aid those affected by the earthquake.
Before the earthquake, Syria — and Syria policy — had been drifting along, sidelined by the Biden administration and the world. The country remains divided and occupied, millions of people face displacement and hardship, sanctions hit the people not Assad (despite claims to the contrary), and Iranian proxy forces across the country are regularly bombed by Israel.
Of course, there are no status quo or secondary problems in the Middle East. The earthquake reminded us that this pivotal country of 17 million people, with more than 4 million in dire need of aid, cannot afford to be left to the fate of a chronically failed or collapsed state that relies solely on Iran and Russia.
The Arab world has realized this, and the UAE is characterized by being ahead of the curve. Assad’s visit to Dubai last year drew attention, but this is the new reality: Assad is staying, Syria is suffering, and an Arab way is needed to counter Russian and Iranian influence.
Critics worry that all this will hasten the normalization process with Assad. This is not an easy call for any Arab leader. The Syrian dictator has no real warmth; they all know him and his record of brutality. The prospect of normalization is not desirable, but neither is isolation, sanctions, and concessions to Iran and Russia if there is no hope for millions of Syrians. With Iran and Russia distracted and bogged down elsewhere, the region has reason to open its doors in Syria, even if the U.S. opposes normalization.
Syrians have already suffered too much for outsiders to continue fighting a war, especially after the earthquake, at their expense. Meanwhile, the UAE initiative may have saved thousands of Syrian lives and may finally force the US and the West to put Syria first.
Netanyahu’s settlement threat looks familiar to UAE
Israeli prime minister’s bill benjamin netanyahuAn alliance with the most radical right-wing coalition in the history of the country is coming.
In addition to mass protests against legislation that would weaken Israel’s judicial independence, Netanyahu last week announced plans to expand West Bank settlements in response to Palestinian violence.
“The U.S. position against such annexation is well known and shared by Israel’s strategic partners in the Middle East,” Ben Caspitt wrote. “Netanyahu is playing with fire and he knows it.”
The latest escalation presents another diplomatic turnaround for Abu Dhabi, which has an “Arab seat” on the UN Security Council and was the first to draft a resolution against Israeli settlement activity undermining the two-state solution.
The resolution is under negotiation and could be brought up on Monday.
The impetus behind the 2020 Abraham Accords was to prevent the earlier Netanyahu government from annexing parts of the West Bank. So there was some déjà vu in the latest round and it was only fitting that the blame fell on the UAE.
The UAE is leading a diplomatic effort to defuse the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. It is a trusted go-between for all parties — the United States, Israel and the Arab states — and is rebuilding relations with the Palestinian Authority around U.N. diplomacy. In conversations with UAE officials, there was a sense of urgency to de-escalate the conflict, prevent any threats to the Holy Land and Jordan’s role, and maintain a sense of urgency for a two-state solution.
As in Syria, Abu Dhabi’s leadership here is not about winning a popularity contest. After the Abraham Accords, the UAE has taken a hit among Palestinians and others.Some critics in the United States were initially wary of the agreements because they were donald trump’s watch. The Biden administration has since viewed the agreement as an important means of economic integration and security in the region. The region is being seduced by the realism of the UAE, underscored by some clever diplomacy.
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