The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday defended its decision to form official relations with Israel shortly before the Hebrew state's normalization agreements were signed with the Emirates and Bahrain in Washington.
Read also: Israel seals its agreement with the Emirates and Bahrain at the White House
"
I hope the deal will ease tension and promote dialogue
" in the region, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said at a virtual press conference, saying the deal was not "
directed against anyone
".
Israel and the Emirates announced on August 13 that they had reached a landmark agreement under the auspices of the United States that made the Gulf oil monarchy the third Arab country to recognize the Hebrew state, after Egypt and Jordan. .
Bahrain decided last week to do the same.
The Emirates and Bahrain are due to sign the normalization agreements with Israel later today in a ceremony at the White House.
For Mr. Gargash, “
the Arab approach of not having contact with Israel has not led to a resolution of the (Israeli-Palestinian) conflict and has not served the aspirations of the Palestinian people
”.
“
There was a need for a strategic breakthrough
,” he said, referring to his country's decision to tie up with Israel.
Mr. Gargash assured that his country had not “
changed its position in favor of a Palestinian state
” but that it had “
broken a psychological barrier
”.
Read also: Trump says he has "no problem" selling F-35 planes to Emirates
Palestinian officials denounced the agreements and hundreds of demonstrators protested Tuesday in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip against what they see as "
betrayal
" to their cause.
Regarding Israeli colonization in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Emirati official said that "
the suspension
" of the annexation by Israel of parts of the West Bank was "
clear
" and that the fact that the United States played a "
role of intermediary makes it real and long lasting
”.
Israel says it has only postponed its plans to annex whole swathes of the West Bank.