Leaders Eye Broader Middle East Peace at UN 

Israel and the United Arab Emirates hailed their new peace agreement Tuesday during remarks at the final day of the U.N. General Assembly, saying it would increase the chances of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  “With the signing of a historic peace accord with Israel, supported by American efforts, my country was able to freeze the annexation decision and opened broad prospects to achieve a comprehensive peace in the region,” said UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a pre-recorded statement. “We hope that this peace accord will provide the opportunity for the Palestinians and the Israelis to re-engage in negotiations to achieve peace.”  Al Nahyan reiterated his government’s commitment to a two-state solution for the decades-old conflict.   FILE – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces full diplomatic ties will be established with the United Arab Emirates, during a news conference in Jerusalem, Aug. 13, 2020.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Palestinian leadership of effectively wielding “a veto on peace” for years between his nation and other Arab countries with what he characterized as “unrealistic” demands, including that Israel withdraw to pre-1967 borders or that descendants of Palestinian refugees be allowed to settle in Israel.   “Of course, these demands, along with many others, are complete non-starters for any responsible Israeli government,” Netanyahu said in his pre-taped address. “Yet for years, many in the international community have tried to appease these absurd Palestinian demands, and as a result, they have wasted time to try to advance an illusion that won’t happen, instead of working for a realistic solution that could happen.”  He praised U.S. President Donald Trump for choosing “a path anchored in reality” and said now that two Arab states — the UAE and Bahrain — have made peace with Israel, others will follow.  The Abraham Accords, as the peace deals are known, were signed in a ceremony on Sept. 15 at the White House.FILE – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks as German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas participates remotely, during an international meeting to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, in Amman, Jordan, Sept. 24, 2020.German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas welcomed the recent developments between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain as “grounds for hope” for the Arab-Israeli conflict, urging that the new dynamic should “be seized by the parties for fresh, credible negotiations on a two-state solution that alone holds the promise of lasting peace.”  This year’s annual gathering of world leaders was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million people worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.   
 
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