Page 18 - MEOG Week 34

MEOG NEWS IN BRIEF MEOG

POLICY “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has set a in Tehran over the incident.
price for concluding peace between Israel and The UAE foreign ministry declined to
Saudi states its price the Arabs – it is the creation of a sovereign comment when contacted by the Reuters news
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital, as
agency.
for ties with Israel is provided for by the initiative of the late King are frequent between Iran and its Gulf Arab
Although incidents regarding fishing boats
Abdullah.”
Palestinian state Israel normalised ties in return for Israeli neighbours, Iran warned of “any aggression
That 2002 Arab League plan offered
against its interests and citizens”, saying in
Saudi Arabia’s price for normalising relations withdrawal from all territories – the West the statement: “Tehran will take all necessary
with Israel is the creation of a sovereign Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem – captured in measures to protect its vessels and citizens in
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, the 1967 Middle East war, and a Palestinian the Persian Gulf.”
a senior member of the Saudi royal family state there. UAE official news agency WAM reported
reaffirmed on Friday. But Prince Turki also voiced understanding on Monday the Gulf state’s coastguard tried
Prince Turki al-Faisal was apparently for the UAE’s decision, noting that Riyadh’s to stop eight fishing boats that violated its
responding to US President Donald Trump close ally had secured a key condition – a halt territorial waters northwest of Sir Bu Nu’Ayr
who said on Wednesday he expected Saudi to Israeli annexation plans. island, without reporting any casualties.
Arabia to join a deal announced last week In the first Saudi reaction to the UAE- The incident comes amid high tensions
by Israel and the United Arab Emirates to Israeli deal, Foreign Minister Faisal bin between the two countries following last
normalise diplomatic ties. Farhan said on Wednesday Riyadh remained week’s surprise announcement that the UAE
The UAE is only the third Arab state in committed to the Arab peace initiative. has agreed to normalise ties with Israel under
more than 70 years to forge full relations with Prince Turki, a former ambassador to a US-brokered deal.
Israel. Under the US-brokered deal, Israel Washington and ex-intelligence chief, holds Iran has condemned the agreement,
shelved plans to annex settlements in the no government office now but remains with President Hassan Rouhani calling it a
occupied West Bank, which Palestinians seek influential as current chairman of the King “big mistake” and warning “against opening
as part of a future state. Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies. the path of Israel to the region”, without
The UAE said Israel’s commitment had Meanwhile the “fall-out” from UAE’s elaborating on what that would mean.
kept alive the possibility of a two-state decision rumbles on with Iran detaining Rouhani’s remarks were seen as “threats”
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. a UAE ship and its crew after the UAE by the UAE which on Sunday summoned
Israel hitherto had no formal ties with coastguard killed two Iranian fishermen. the Iranian charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi
Gulf Arab states but shared concerns with Iran’s foreign ministry said the boat was to protest “unacceptable and inflammatory”
the UAE about Iran’s regional influence seized on Monday after UAE coastguard rhetoric.
and actions, along with the UAE’s role as a vessels “opened fire on several Iranian The UAE, which downgraded its relations
regional business hub, led to a limited thaw fishing boats ... leading to the deaths of two with Iran in 2016 amid fierce rivalry between
and discreet contacts in recent years. fishermen”. Tehran and Emirati ally Saudi Arabia, said the
The deal raised speculation that other US- “On Monday, an Emirati ship was seized remarks “had serious implications for security
backed Gulf Arab countries might follow. But by the border guards of Iran and its crew were and stability in the Gulf region”.
Prince Turki said Saudi Arabia, the biggest detained due to illegal traffic in our country’s Establishing diplomatic ties between Israel
Gulf Arab power which has traditionally waters,” state-run TV quoted a ministry and Washington’s Middle East allies, including
guided policy towards Israel, expected a statement as saying. the oil-rich Gulf states, has been central to US
higher return from Israel. “On the same day, UAE guards shot dead President Donald Trump’s regional strategy to
“Any Arab state that is considering two Iranian fishermen and seized a boat ... contain Iran.
following the UAE should demand in return The UAE has expressed regret for the incident Anwar Gargash, the Emirati minister of
a price, and it should be an expensive price,” and in a letter on Wednesday announced its state for foreign affairs, has repeatedly said the
he wrote in the Saudi newspaper Asharq al- readiness to pay compensation.” UAE’s decision to open diplomatic ties with
Awsat. Iran summoned the UAE charge d’affaires Israel had nothing to do with Iran.

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 34 26•August•2020