Jewish organizations praise the signing of the Abraham Accords
AIPAC, the IAC, URJ, CUFI and more praise the deal and look to the future.
By OMRI NAHMIASUS President Donald Trump speaks as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani listen before the signing of the Abraham Accords. South Lawn of the White House in Washington, US, Septem(photo credit: REUTERS/TOM BRENNER)
Major Jewish organizations on Tuesday praised the signing of the Abraham Accords. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said in a statement that this is a historic event in the advancement of peace and reconciliation in the Middle East: “We applaud the leadership of the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain for achieving this momentous agreement.”“Today’s ceremony sends a clear message that it’s a new era for Israeli-Arab relations,” AIPAC’s statement read. “Peace in the region is possible through diplomacy, mutual recognition and negotiation. We hope other nations in the Middle East and the Palestinian leadership will follow this inspiring example to bring conflicts in the region to an end and promote prosperity and cooperation.”The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish organizations said in a statement that these landmark understandings represent a realignment, a paradigm shift wherein peace is prioritized over conflict. “In becoming the third and fourth Arab countries to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel, the UAE and Bahrain lead the way for others to follow,” the statement read. “Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed of the UAE and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain are to be commended for having the courage to recognize Israel’s legitimacy as a sovereign state. The leadership of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought us to this moment, and we applaud them and the representatives from the four countries, in Washington and their home countries, for their extraordinary efforts.”Union for Reform Judaism President Rabbi Rick Jacobs, said: “All those who played a role in crafting the accord: Israeli, Bahraini, Emirati, and American officials and leaders alike, are to be congratulated for preferencing a peaceful future over a hostile past. We commend President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu for prioritizing efforts to expand the list of Israel’s regional partners, committing the necessary resources and time to make today’s agreement possible.”The Orthodox Union issued a statement as well, saying the organization looks forward “to a time in the near future, God willing, when other nations in the region follow suit and come forward in the spirit of friendship and join with Israel to complete a mosaic of peace across the Middle East.”The National Council of Young Israel, which represents Modern Orthodox Jews in North America, applauded the signing of the accord, saying in a statement: “The National Council of Young Israel applauds President Trump and the members of his administration for the bold and historic steps they have taken in furtherance of a more stable and peaceful Middle East. This bilateral event will undoubtedly go down in the annals of history as a momentous diplomatic development that has the ability to reshape and reinvigorate the relationship between Israel and its Arab neighbors.""By putting a prime emphasis on pursuing peace in what has historically been a turbulent region, the United States-brokered agreement between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain is a transformative accord that will foster much-needed collaboration on economic and security issues for the betterment of each of those countries. It is our sincere hope that the Trump administration will continue its noteworthy efforts to promote peace in the Middle East by working with Israel and other Arab nations to create new strategic alliances, which could lead to enhanced cooperation, normalized relations, and a brighter and more secure future for the people who call that region home." “Amidst the extension of the proverbial olive branch between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, it is absolutely outrageous that the Palestinian Authority has condemned this groundbreaking agreement, and we condemn the PA for its oppositional stance and obstructionist approach. For an entity that has purportedly recognized Israel’s right to exist and theoretically should have welcomed news of the accord, the PA’s ongoing resistance to peace and progress is reprehensible. It is notable that while the PA continues to indoctrinate children with vehement anti-Israel propaganda, the UAE has modified its nation’s academic curriculum to include positive references to the agreement and conciliatory messages regarding Israel." “Recognizing that Israel temporarily agreed to suspend an extension of sovereignty to Jewish lands in Judea and Samaria in advance of the agreement with the UAE and Bahrain, we hope that the Trump administration will ultimately be supportive of Israel extending sovereignty over these critical locales, which would greatly augment Israel’s safety and security,” the organization concluded.The Israeli American Council (IAC) commended Israel, UAE and Bahrain “for their courage and commitment towards launching bilateral relations and for accelerating the winds of change in the region.”“This is the culmination of the hard work and dedication of the United States, Israel, and both Gulf states in striving to create a more peaceful Middle East. We are thankful for the leadership of President Trump and the US administration in brokering these historic agreements,” IAC said in a statement.Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch in Washington, DC, who met the King of Bahrain in 2010, told The Jerusalem Post that “there’s a certain aspiration of the children of Abraham to live without conflict and even in mutual cooperation.”“There’s more than just an accord,” Shemtov told the Post. “This is a promise and an aspiration which will bring the region and hopefully more of the world to a more peaceful future, not even through the cessation of conflict, but through a new direction together.”“I’m not a politician and I’m not a diplomat,” he added. “But I know one thing. If each side will see the advantages to the other, everything will work out much better.”Christians United for Israel (CUFI) commended the agreement as well. “The historic agreements signed today show that peace is on the march and the so-called Arab-Israeli conflict is increasingly an anachronism,” CUFI founder and chairman Pastor John Hagee, said in a statement.“Israel is strong and flourishing, and the Arab world is coming to see the Jewish state not as a foe, but as an ally against Iran and a partner for peace and prosperity. It is my sincere hope and prayer that other Arab nations will follow the UAE and Bahrain’s lead and that the Palestinian leadership in particular will accept that peace with Israel is the only path forward,” Hagee added.
