LETTERS: We, the civil society of Asean, today convened a meeting to register our position on the recent declared normalisation deal between United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel.
We take cognisance that the UAE has actually had all these years engaged in an informal normalisation with Israel. We are calling all Muslim leaders and the civil societies to reject the normalisation deal. We also urge that a strong resistance be launched against the so-called Abraham Accord.
The accord is actually a strategic relationship orchestrated by Donald Trump Administration which is part of the Deal of the Century as a plan to control all Arab countries under the Israel interest. What the agreement implied is a legitimised a protracted assault on the Palestinians, embolden Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, deepen Israel's occupation and strengthen Israel's alliance with Arab autocrats.
To us this is a "war agreement" and historic breakthrough for more conflicts in the region.
We reject the justification of UAE rapprochement with Israel under the pretext of halting Israeli annexation of Arab territories. Its claim that the UAE-israel deal is to help the Palestinians achieve their goals of independence, and promote peace in the Middle East is a deception.
The UAE claim that it aims of "stopping further annexation of Palestinian territories" is clearly a false notion. Netanyahu's plans to illegally annex a third of the occupied West Bank was derailed long before the de facto leader of the UAE, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, stepped in.
We conclude that the annexation, which is halted only temporarily, is in actual fact a byproduct of the real problem; Israel's occupation and illegal settlements.
UAE's claim that it is driven by solidarity with the Palestinian people and that it will continue to "forcefully advocate for … their dignity, their rights and their own sovereign state", is false and in reality a betrayal to the Palestinian interest.
The Emiratis has been indulged in covert security cooperation with Israel. They have not consulted or coordinated with the Palestinian leadership when normalising their relations with Israel, or announcing their intent to sign a peace agreement.
We abhor how UAE had long turned their backs on the Palestinian plight, and continue to undermine Palestinian unity. UAE's announcement to pen the deal with Israel was meant only to help Trump and Netanyahu, who are struggling politically and legally.
We reiterate that we are unequivocally denouncing the Emirati move. It is a "betrayal", "aggression", and a sell out of the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Appeasement by UAE of a regime that occupies and oppresses Palestine cannot be good for the Palestinians.
We believe that Israel will exploit the UAE and potentially other Arab attempts at rapprochement in order to expand its annexation and pressure the Palestinian people into submission.
The UAE has violated the Arab "land for peace" consensus, which commits Arab states to pursue peace and normalisation of relations but only after Israel withdraws from occupied Palestinian and Arab lands.
Compared to Egypt and Jordan which their diplomatic relations with Israel we also reject, UAE does not share borders with, and has never fought a war against, Israel. It has not been threatened or occupied by Israeli forces either. So, Abu Dhabi rushing to appease Israel at a time when Netanyahu is tightening his grip on Palestine is perplexing.
We reject UAE leaders who claim the Arabs could achieve more through diplomacy and peace than posturing and war. This is a false dichotomy. We recognise peace is preferable to war. But false peace that ignores justice and human rights is destined to lead to more not less conflict.
Israel has always consistently used diplomatic openings from Arab states to deepen its occupation, and made concessions only under pressure. Israel will gain unfettered access to one of the richest Arab markets.
We conclude that in reality the Emirati regime projects the most pro-war policy in the region: its destructive war in Yemen, its proxy war in Libya, its destabilising policies towards Tunisia, Turkey and Qatar, and its support for regional dictators.
Abu Dhabi is stoking the flames of conflict in the Middle East. The divisive, destabilising and anti-democratic policies it pursues in conjunction with Saudi Arabia are paralysing the region and bankrupting its states.
We are of the opinion that UAE is "bandwagoning" with Israel and the United States, in the hope of establishing a trilateral US-Israeli-Arab strategic alliance to contain Turkey's influence and tame or destroy the Iranian regime. The so called "historical peace agreement" is nothing more than a drive towards another regional conflict or worse, war.
We express our stand that a real peace will come only after Israel agrees to withdraw from all Arab lands, gives up its hegemonic ambitions and its nuclear weapons, and allows for full Palestinian freedom and self-determination in the Palestinian homeland.
We re-affirm our full support and solidarity with the Palestian cause and call all Muslim countries to stand united with Palestine to reject Israel as a legal nation. The price of rights, justice, freedom, self determination and dignity is paramount to any dealing that relates to the Palestinian interest.
We demand UAE to step back from the deal and we call all other potential countries that are targeted to follow suit resist and denounce any covert and overt dealings with Israel.
ASEAN PEOPLE'S COALITION FOR PALESTINE
MALAYSIAN PALESTINIAN SECRETARIATE
JUSTICE AND HUMANITARIAN ASSOCIATION, CAMBODIA
AL AQSA WORKING GROUP
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times