Trump: Israeli Pacts with 2 Arab States Signal 'New' Mideast
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Hotel Hustle: Wednesday Housekeeping September 16, 2020 Week T: 582-7800 www.arubatoday.com facebook.com/arubatoday instagram.com/arubatoday Page 10 Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper MIDDLE PEACE Trump: Israeli pacts with 2 Arab states signal 'new' Mideast Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, President Donald Trump, Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan react on the Blue Room Balcony after signing the Abraham Accords during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Washington. Associated Press By DEB RIECHMANN, MAT- clared will mark the "dawn Arab Emirates and Bahrain a Palestinian state. wear masks. THEW LEE and JONATHAN of a new Middle East," in line with their common Hundreds of people "We're here this afternoon LEMIRE casting himself as an inter- opposition to Iran. But the massed on the sunwashed to change the course of Associated Press national peacemaker at agreements do not address South Lawn to witness the history," Trump said from a WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel the height of his reelection the decades-long conflict signing of agreements in balcony overlooking the on Tuesday signed historic campaign. between Israel and the a festive atmosphere little South Lawn. "After dec- diplomatic pacts with two The bilateral agreements Palestinians, who view the marked by the coronavirus ades of division and con- Gulf Arab states at a White formalize the normalization pacts as a stab in the back pandemic. Attendees did flict, we mark the dawn of House ceremony that Presi- of Israel's already thawing from their fellow Arabs and not practice social distanc- a new Middle East." dent Donald Trump de- relations with the United a betrayal of their cause for ing and most guests didn't Continued on next page A2 WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2020 UP FRONT as Rep. Anthony Brindisi of New York, are freshmen in tough reelection races. Still others, such as Florida Reps. Ted Deutch and Stephanie Murphy hail from districts with large numbers of Jew- ish constituents. Questions remain, howev- er, about the significance of the agreements. Even in Israel, where the accords have received widespread acclaim, there is concern they might result in U.S. sales of sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain, thus potentially upsetting Israel's qualitative military edge in the region. Trump said he is OK with sell- ing military aircraft to the UAE. Pelosi also welcomed the agreements but said she wants to learn details, specifically what the Trump administration has told the UAE about buying Amer- ican-made F-35 aircraft and about Israel agreeing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-NahyanAbraham and Bah- to freeze efforts to annex rain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa stand on the Blue Room Balcony during the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Washington. portions of the West Bank. Associated Press The UAE and Bahrain have a history of suppressing Continued from Front change for Emirati recogni- should other Arab nations, economic aid to Western dissent and critical pub- Under the agreements, the tion. Netanyahu, however, particularly Saudi Arabia, Europe after World War II lic opinion, but there have countries have committed has insisted that Israel has follow suit. That could have were held at the table. been indications that the to exchange embassies only temporarily suspend- implications for Iran, Syria The stagecraft, including agreements are not nearly and ambassadors and to ed its plans to annex West and Lebanon. Until now, live music and flags was as popular or well-received cooperate on a broad ar- Bank settlements. Israel has had peace deals meant to evoke previous as they are in Israel. Neither ray of issues, including edu- "Today, we are already only with Egypt and Jor- Middle East agreements. country sent its head of cation, healthcare, trade witnessing a change in the dan. Trump's political backers state or government to sign and security. heart of the Middle East Other Arab countries be- are looking to boost his the deals with Netanyahu. Israeli Prime Minister Ben- — a change that will send lieved to be close to recog- standing as a statesman Bahrain's largest Shiite- jamin Netanyahu said the hope around the world," al- nizing Israel include Oman, with just seven weeks to go dominated opposition day "is a pivot of history. Nahyan said. Sudan and Morocco. before Election Day. Until group, Al-Wefaq, which It heralds a new dawn of Bahrani Foreign Minister "We are very down the now, foreign policy has not the government ordered peace." Abdullatif al-Zayani said road with about five differ- had a major role in a cam- dissolved in 2016 amid a Neither Netanyahu nor Bahrain would stand with ent countries," Trump told paign dominated by the yearslong crackdown on Trump mentioned the Pal- the Palestinians. "Today is a reporters before the cer- coronavirus, racial issues dissent, said there is wide- estinians in their remarks, truly historic occasion," he emony. and the economy. spread rejection of normal- but both the UAE and Bah- said. "A moment for hope Skeptics, including many Besides Republicans, a few ization. Al-Wefaq joins oth- raini foreign ministers spoke and opportunity." longtime Mideast analysts House Democrats attend- er Bahrainis who reject the of the importance of creat- But in the Gaza Strip, Pal- and former officials, have ed the event, a notable agreement to normalize ing a Palestinian state. estinian militants fired two expressed doubts about development at a time ties with the "Zionist entity," Emirati Foreign Minister rockets into Israel, appar- the impact of the signings. when their leader, House and criticized the govern- Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed ently meant to coincide In addition to the bilateral Speaker Nancy Pelosi is ment for crushing the pub- Al Nahyan, the brother with the ceremony. The Is- agreements signed by Isra- barely on speaking terms lic's ability to express their of Abu Dhabi's power- raeli military said the rock- el, the UAE and Bahrain, all with the president. Many discontentment with nor- ful crown prince, even ets were fired from Gaza three signed a document Democrats, including presi- malization. The ceremony thanked Netanyahu for and one was intercepted dubbed the "Abraham Ac- dential nominee Joe Biden, followed months of intri- "halting the annexation" of by air defenses. Earlier in cords" after the patriarch widely support the deal. cate diplomacy headed West Bank land claimed the day, Palestinian activ- of the world's three major Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., said by Jared Kushner, Trump's by the Palestinians in ex- ists held small demonstra- monotheistic religions. she accepted the invita- son-in-law and senior advis- tions in the West Bank and During the signing ceremo- tion immediately on receiv- er, and the president's en- in Gaza, where they tram- ny, the leaders were seated ing it over the weekend. voy for international nego- pled and set fire to pictures at a long table where Presi- "It definitely was a monu- tiations, Avi Berkowitz. On of Trump, Netanyahu and dent Harry S. Truman once mental event, and the cer- Aug. 13, the Israel-UAE deal the leaders of the UAE and held weekly luncheon emony was very fitting for was announced. That was Bahrain. meetings with his Cabinet. that," Luria, a member of followed by the first direct There are no active wars Discussions about the Tru- the House Armed Services commercial flight between to be ended by the agree- man Doctrine to restrain Committee, said in a tele- the countries, and then ments, but Israel and the Soviet expansion during phone interview afterward. the Sept. 11 announce- U.S. hope they could usher the Cold War and the Mar- Like Luria, some other Dem- ment of the Bahrain-Israel in a major shift in the region shall Plan to send billions in ocrats in attendance, such agreement.q A3 U.S. NEWS WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2020 City to pay $12M to Breonna Taylor's family, reform police By DYLAN LOVAN for charges against the of- Associated Press ficers and urged people to LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The "say her name," a phrase city of Louisville will pay $12 that has become a refrain million to the family of Bre- for those outraged by the onna Taylor and reform po- shooting. lice practices as part of a Fischer said the civil settle- lawsuit settlement months ment has nothing do with after Taylor's slaying by po- the criminal investigation. lice thrust the Black wom- Asked about the criminal an's name to the forefront investigation, Senate Ma- of a national reckoning on jority Leader Mitch Mc- race, Mayor Greg Fischer Connell, who represents announced Tuesday. Kentucky, told reporters Taylor's death sparked Tuesday "the investigation months of protests in Lou- seems to have been more isville and calls nationwide complicated than a lot of for the officers to be crimi- people felt." He said he has nally charged. The state's confidence in Cameron attorney general, Daniel and stands by him. Cameron, is investigating The Louisville news confer- police actions in the March ence was broadcast over 13 fatal shooting. a loudspeaker downtown Tamika Palmer, mother of Breonna Taylor, addresses the media in Louisville, Ky., on Thursday, Aug. "I cannot begin to imagine and protesters listened as 13, 2020. Ms. Palmer's pain, and I am they sat around a memo- Associated Press deeply, deeply sorry for Bre- rial to Taylor. onna's death," Fischer said, Protesters gathered Tues- investigation of a drug traf- handled by police, Mayor ery two weeks in the com- referring to Taylor's mother, day at what they have re- ficking suspect who was a Fischer said.