President Trump’s UAE Deal Proves His Allyship To Israel

Though I disagree with him on a number of issues, I must applaud President Trump for his record on Israel. From appointing ambassador Nikki Haley in 2017, to moving the United States’ embassy to Jerusalem, President Trump has shown that he is a true ally to Israel. This recent deal between the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates demonstrates that Jews and Arabs can work in tandem to achieve peace in the Middle East. Noa Landau of “The Forward” described President Trump’s move as “a foreign policy success as he seeks re-election on Nov. 3.” Though he is terrible for the environment, he remains strong on Israel, a country at the forefront of science and part of the Paris Agreement. President Trump, unlike Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has pulled out of said agreement.  

I will continue to criticize President Trump for the extensive list of actions I disapprove of, despite fervently agreeing with his position on Israel. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is from one of the most prominent Jewish families in the United States and I appreciate what Kushner’s position in politics has done for American Jewry. Though our president has suggested injecting people with disinfectant to rid them of the coronavirus, his actions have helped Israelis, exponentially, and by proxy, Jews everywhere.  

Dave Lawler and Barak Lavid of Axios said, “Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab countries that have active diplomatic ties with Israel, and the UAE would be the first of the Gulf Arab states to agree to normalize relations.” This is crucial as Lebanon, the only other democracy in The Middle East, banned Wonder Woman because Gal Gadot is Israeli. Some say this is because Gadot was in a major role, whereas in “The Fast And Furious,” she was not, but I believe it is because Lebanon, a bastion for antisemitism, was unaware the Israeli actress was in the movie. Maybe, Lebanon will notice the United Arab Emirates’ diplomatic relationship with Israel and stop caving into the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) movement.  

BDS started in the Palestinian territories, which are governed by the terrorist group Hamas, but has become an international movement, most prominent in the Arab world and certain Western fringe groups. The most recent induction, developed in Iran, is the conspiracy theory that Israel and Zionists are behind the coronavirus pandemic. Other times, it’s a controversy over Sabra® hummus, an Israeli product.   

The problem is BDS hurts Palestinians. SodaStream hired Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank, working together to bring them profit. This was, of course, before SodaStream was forced to move for economic reasons. The new plan with the West Bank, under the American-Israeli-UAE deal, is for Israel not to annex it. This deal, I think, is worth it for the diplomacy between the two Middle-Eastern countries.  

An Israeli flight to the United Arab Emirates happened in a historic first on Monday. I expect future allyship and productivity between the two nations, with the aid of President Trump. Though I am by no means a Trump supporter, this was a good action to counteract the resounding hostility of BDS, as well as to mend the fraught relationship between Israel and the Arab nations.