UAE won’t cut Israel ties over Judea & Samaria annexation – report

The United Arab Emirates is reportedly mulling merely downgrading its diplomatic ties to Israel if Jerusalem applies sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria.

By World Israel News Staff

The United Arab Emirates is considering downgrading its diplomatic ties to Israel in response to the application of Israeli sovereignty to parts of Judea and Samaria, three sources claimed Thursday.

A report by Reuters citing three unnamed sources said the Gulf Arab state may downgrade its relationship with Israel, but added that a withdrawal from the Abraham Accords or cutting of ties with the Jewish state were not on the table.

The UAE was the first Arab state to join the Abraham Accords, formally normalizing its ties with Israel in a ceremony on September 15th, 2020.

The Trump administration has sought to expand the Abraham Accords, and the departure of the first Arab member state would be a blow to the White House.

A source in Israel cited by the report said that Jerusalem believes it can restore full ties with Abu Dhabi, even in the event of a temporary downgrading of relations following Israeli annexation of parts of Judea and Samaria.

Last week, the UAE decided to bar Israeli defense contractors from participating in the Dubai Airshow, slated for November.

The Netanyahu government is mulling several plans to extend sovereignty over areas in Judea and Samaria as a response to the impending recognition of unilateral Palestinian statehood expected to take place at the United Nations General Assembly’s High-Level Week, which kicks off next week.

Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and Belgium have all signaled they will recognize the Palestinian Authority as a state.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly floated a limited sovereignty plan, which would annex the Jordan Valley and possibly several major settlement blocs adjacent to the pre-1967 Green Line.

Other ministers, however, have called for a more expansive application of sovereignty.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as Minister in the Defense Minsitry, handling settlement affairs, has proposed applying sovereignty to 82% of Judea and Samaria, avoiding only built-up Palestinian areas.

The Trump administration has declined to publicly stake out a position on Israel’s possible annexation in Judea and Samaria, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio responding to questions on the subject by condemning plans to recognize Palestinian statehood outside the framework of a final status agreement.