Credit: Wikipedia / Andre Wadman  /  An El Al Israel Airlines Boeing 737-858

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Israeli national carrier El Al made history today, operating its first ever flight between Tel Aviv, Israel and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  El Al Flight 971, carrying high-level Israeli and US delegations, flew southeast down almost the entire length of Saudi Arabia to reach its destination in Abu Dhabi. It was the first time an Israeli plane was given permission by the kingdom to use its airspace, the Times of Israel reported.  The flight followed the historic peace deal between Israel and the UAE this month. President Donald J. Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates agreed to the full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. On board Monday’s flight were US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser Jared Kushner and US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien as well as Israel’s National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat, among others.

התרגשתי לשוחח בטלפון עם המשלחת הישראלית לאבו דאבי בדרך לעשיית שלום היסטורי.

אחרי מאמצים אדירים שהובלתי במשך שנים, סוף כל סוף הבאנו ״שלום תמורת שלום״. 🇮🇱🕊🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/W5apdskHuo

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) August 31, 2020

Palestinians slam ‘traitor’ UAE for normalising ties with Israel  

The move is just the latest blow to the Palestinian cause by the United States since Donald Trump took office in 2016. It comes on the back of a US decision in 2017 to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and the unveiling of this year’s so-called “Middle East Peace Plan” that resulted in Israel declaring plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.  

-Al Jazeera 

The UAE and Israel: A dangerous liaison

What appeared to be a “marriage of convenience” has been in fact a full-fledged love affair. Unlike traditional marriages, the two fell in love and secretly consummated their relationship well before officially announcing the wedding date.  If anything, this is more of an alliance than an agreement – an alliance directed at the regional powers, Iran and Turkey; an alliance that threatens to further destabilise the region if US President Donald Trump is re-elected for four more years.

-Al Jazeera

Many don’t see it as a Peace Deal, but merely an Alliance, according to the Al Jazeera report, and believe President Trump pressured Israel for a rushed deal ahead of the U.S. elections to benefit him politically. They criticize it for lacking anything beneficial  for the Palestinians and their cause,  and point out Israel makes no concessions to the Arab world.