Trump asks UAE to encourage others to build ties with Israel
Middle East Monitor

“US President Donald Trump asked UAE Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Zayed to encourage other countries in the region to build ties with Israel, Arab48 reported yesterday (October 12). In a statement issued on Sunday (October 11), Arab48 reported White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere saying that Trump and Bin Zayed discussed the latest updates about the Middle East on the telephone. Trump, according to Deere, asked Bin Zayed to encourage other countries in the region to follow in the footsteps of the UAE regarding the normalisation of ties with Israel. Bin Zayed, Deere said, congratulated Trump on his recovery from COVID-19, while Trump thanked him for his ‘leadership’ during the Abraham Accords, the agreement which marked the normalisation of ties between the Emirates and the occupation state of Israel.” 

Image: US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on 15 May 2017. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Why the UAE deal is not ‘peacemaking’
The Forward

This opinion piece was written by CMEP’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon. 

“In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples, ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ Christians tell this story over and over again in churches across the globe. And yet, so often, what is called peacemaking in the political world leaves peace far away and on the distant horizon. Israel’s normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which its Parliament is scheduled to approve on Thursday (October 15), was termed ‘peacemaking’ by the Trump administration that mediated it, and all involved seek credit for being peacemakers. In reality, these deals could lead to increased arms sales, more violence in the Middle East, and the perpetuation of the ongoing military occupation of the Palestinian people.”

Image: UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L) and his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi are pictured before their historic meeting at Villa Borsig in Berlin, Germany, October 6, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/Pool/ AFP)

Britain, the Middle East and arms sales: A breakdown
Middle East Eye

“New figures released by the British government have revealed the extent to which the Middle East dominates spending on both UK and global arms. The data, published on Tuesday (October 6) by the UK Department for International Trade, provided estimated figures on defence and security imports and exports between 2010 and 2019. While the US and UK led the way on exports, countries from the Middle East, and in particular Saudi Arabia, were among the biggest buyers. Middle East Eye breaks down what the figures say about the region's arms dealings. Over the past decade, the Middle East has spent more on defence than any other region of the world.” 

Image: The UK government has sold Typhoon aircraft (pictured flying with Britain's Red Arrows) to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia over the past decade. (AFP/File photo)

Poll: Ahead of US elections, 63% of Israelis say 'Trump better for Israel'
i24 News

“A clear majority of Israelis favor the re-election of US President Donald Trump come November’s presidential elections, a new poll conducted for i24NEWS showed Monday night (October 12). Answering the question, ‘which US presidential candidate do you think will be better for Israel?’ 63.3 percent of respondents chose the Republican leader. In contrast, Democrat candidate and former vice president Joe Biden came up with a mere 18.8 percent. Moreover, 53.2 percent said they thought the Israeli right would be significantly harmed if Trump was not re-elected. A little over 21 percent replied that ‘Israel acts independently,’ therefore won’t be influenced by a change in the White House.” 

Image: US President Donald Trump returns to the White House on October 5, 2020 in Washington, after leaving the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Palestinian premier: ‘God help us’ if Trump wins re-election
AP News

“The Palestinian prime minister said Tuesday (October 13) it will be disastrous for his people and the world at large if President Donald Trump wins re-election next month. Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said the last four years of the Trump administration have greatly harmed the Palestinians. ‘If we are going to live another four years with President Trump, God help us, God help you and God help the whole world,’ Shtayyeh said Tuesday, repeating comments he made a day earlier in a remote meeting with European lawmakers. The comments were earlier posted on his Facebook page. The Palestinians have traditionally refrained from taking an explicit public position in American presidential elections. Shtayyeh’s comments reflected the sense of desperation on the Palestinian side after a series of U.S. moves that have left them weakened and isolated.”

Image: In this Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2020 file photo, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh speaks during the leadership meeting at the village of Fasayil in Jordan Valley. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed, File)

How evangelicals working in settlements bypassed Israel's COVID-19 entry ban
Haaretz

“Two months ago, a group of 70 evangelical volunteers were granted special permission to enter Israel so they could help out with the grape harvest at several settlements in the West Bank. Neither Hayovel, the organization that represents them, nor the Interior Ministry was willing to explain to Haaretz at the time how these volunteers obtained such permission when most noncitizens have been barred from entering Israel since the outbreak of the coronavirus. An investigation by Haaretz reveals that the ministry was not fully aware of the nature of the organization when it decided to grant entry to this large Christian group. Israeli politicians who requested visas on behalf of the volunteers hid the fact that they belonged to an evangelical organization, while the Interior Ministry itself didn’t conduct any independent inquiries of its own."

Image: Evangelical volunteers harvesting Merlot wine grapes for the Tura Winery, in the West Bank Har Bracha settlement of Har Bracha, September 23, 2020. (Menahem Kahana - AFP)