Like a Fox Inside the Chicken House (Part 3)

10 Marcheshvan 5785

(Part 1, Part 2)

According to his book review on Amazon, David Friedman is "one of the leading architects of the historic Abraham Accords."  Aside from this push to annex Judea and Samaria (for reasons that actually appear to be nefarious), this association with the Abraham Accords has earned Friedman the highest praise and respect among Torah Jews, undeservedly so in my opinion.

Let's look back at the vaunted Abraham Accords - what it was and what it isn't and whether it was ever good for Israel or just another step towards eventual annihilation by assimilation and integration.

Abraham Accords, series of agreements to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab states. The accords, all of which were signed in the latter half of 2020, consist of a general declaration alongside bilateral agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. The name of the accords was given in reference to the supposed common ancestor of the Jews and the Arabs, the biblical Abraham, and as an expression of brotherhood.

...Israel and several Arab states had already established and maintained clandestine relations to some degree.

[Another example of Trump et al. getting credit for facts already on the ground same as with a United Jerusalem and possession of the Golan Heights etc.]

The Abraham Accords brought Israel’s relations with Arab countries out into the open and shifted the paradigm of the Arab-Israeli conflict. On the pretext of stopping Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank in July 2020, the United Arab Emirates engaged in negotiations to normalize relations. Sweetened with an offer from the United States to sell 50 F-35 combat jets to the United Arab Emirates, a deal was announced in August. The United Arab Emirates indicated that normalization would provide it with increased leverage to intervene on behalf of the Palestinians, but observers speculated that the deal would encourage the Arab states to set aside the Palestinian cause when it suited those states’ interests.

Another Gulf Arab state quickly followed suit. Just days before Israel and the United Arab Emirates were due to sign their agreement, a deal was announced between Israel and Bahrain to normalize relations, and the small island country joined representatives of the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and the United States on the White House lawn days later. (Source) 

Ironically, although it was uncertainty about American commitment that paved the path to the Abraham Accords, in the end it was American leverage that led to their consummation. (Source)

Typical American wheeling and dealing, promises (at Israel's expense), bribes and threats, forcing everyone else to bend to their will.  But, one thing you can count on is this - whatever good was to be gained from it was taken for themselves!

The big prize of adding Saudi Arabia to the list has already been brought front and center by the new incoming Trump Administration.  Let's go back for a minute and review the Saudi demands up to now.

As I wrote in a post dated 24 September 2024, a mere six weeks ago...

In order to make this "deal," Saudi Arabia wants the US to provide them with a nuclear umbrella (against the day Iran gets nukes) and they want the control of Har Habayit taken out of Jordan's hands and transferred over to them. (Riyadh seeks to reboot Temple Mount status quo with peace deal)

Notwithstanding the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, and perhaps even because of it, diplomatic contacts aimed at advancing a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia have continued. The US administration has worked hard to move this process forward after Hamas’s attack on October 7, which was intended to thwart the move, and after Iran, through its various proxies, joined the conflict. However, after six months of combat, it is possible to make the following cautious assessment: The fundamental motivation of the United States and Saudi Arabia in this context has not changed. The United States wants to forge a new regional order, which it will lead, to make it easier for itself and for Middle Eastern nations to deal with Iran—and also to indicate that it is not abandoning the region. Saudi Arabia, for its part, wants to cement its regional standing and bolster its status and security, particularly vis-à-vis Iran, by strengthening its ties with Washington.

...Saudi Arabia—Riyadh is primarily concerned about the benefits it will receive from the United States. These include a defense pact to ensure the kingdom’s security against Iran; the provision of advanced American arms and ammunition, including F-35 fighter jets; and American assistance in establishing a civilian nuclear infrastructure, including operating a nuclear fuel cycle within Saudi Arabia. In addition, the Saudis have several demands of Israel. The main one is that Jerusalem agrees to advance the two-state solution and recognize the “renewed” Palestinian Authority as the responsible entity for the Palestinian arena. Previously, the Saudis had wanted Israel to express implied support for the two-state solution, while maintaining diplomatic flexibility; however, since October 7, they have been demanding practical steps from Israel, such as transferring the administration of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority, in order to stabilize the Palestinian arena. It appears that Riyadh has accepted that the resumption of the normalization process with Israel will be linked to greater Saudi involvement in Gaza and planning for “the day after Hamas.” Of course, all of this depends on the Americans accepting the Saudis’ demands and on Israel’s agreeing to certain aspects of the demands that it may find problematic, such as allowing Saudi Arabia to acquire nuclear capability and the erosion of Israel’s relative military advantage.

United States—Washington is demanding domestic reforms from Saudi Arabia, as well as a stable oil supply and a reduction in Saudi ties with China in various areas, including technological, military, and nuclear cooperation. In return, the Biden administration is seeking Saudi agreement to normalize relations with Israel as part of a regional integration process aimed at countering Iranian influence. Additionally, the United States expects Saudi Arabia to play a role in the new regional order by assisting with the Palestinian arena, particularly in stabilizing, administering, and rebuilding the Gaza Strip, as well as helping the Palestinian Authority reform itself and become an effective governing body.

...The Biden administration recognizes that the Israeli government is facing challenges in making significant strategic decisions due to domestic political considerations. Therefore, they are working to advance certain actions without the agreement of the Israeli government and are willing to impose measures that Israel may find difficult to accept. In this context, they are expanding humanitarian aid to Gaza, establishing a temporary port on the Gaza coast, supporting reforms in the Palestinian Authority, working toward the establishment of a new technocratic government, and preparing for the formation of a Palestinian force to maintain public order in the Gaza Strip, with the involvement of Jordan and Egypt. (Source)

(Part 4)