Israel’s Arab Citizens Confront Peace With Arab States
Israel signed peace agreements with the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Bahrain. Both are oil rich Arab countries.
Almost two million Arabs are citizens of Israel. The new peace agreements may give them a chance to make a better life. How? In the following three ways.
First, the Arab countries need professionals and managers to become part of their workforce. Israeli-Arabs have the education, and skills to fit into jobs in big Arab cities such as Dubai. Many say they would earn more than they do in Israel.
Second, the Arab countries are rich. There is a chance for money to flow from them into Arab-owned businesses in Israel.
Third, the flow of visitor back and forth. Arabs in Israel and on the West Bank can see the benefits of peace in the region.
What stands in the way?
Most Arabs in the West Bank (Palestinian Territory) and Gaza are poor. Many still think of themselves as refugees. The government has not held elections in years. There is a great deal of corruption. For many Arabs, the goal is not to make peace but to destroy Israel.
Statehood for the Palestinians is not coming soon. Nor is the destruction of Israel.
The leaders of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (P.L.O.) call the peace agreement a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. Observers note that Israel and some Arab states have been working together for years. Their common enemy is Iran.
And Israel has technology and businesses with which Arab states want to do business.
The Arabs of Israel can are in the middle. The peace agreements are good for them. Some feel guilty about their advantage.
An Arab-Israeli graduate student in computer science said he would love to travel to the Persian Gulf. He was unwilling to seize the chance yet. “I would want to first see that Palestinians in the West Bank at least are OK with this. If they are in agreement with this. Then I would start to think about how I myself can benefit from it.”
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world’s tallest building. Photo Credit: Karim Sahib/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Until now, Israel’s Arab citizens could only travel to Egypt and Jordan. Images of the skyscrapers of Dubai in the U.A.E. are on Arab television and social media. Now some Israeli Arabs feel a great urge to see them in person.
An observer said, “It is like an American who wants to go visit New York. It is a hub and an icon of culture, and achievement.”
There are skeptics of the current deal. But all agree that it opens up new opportunities. Could it be a game changer?
Source: The New York Times October 4, 2020
