Following the Knesset's ratification of the historic peace treaty between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, now commences the phase of normalization and building of business and social relations between the citizens of Israel and the UAE. Surprisingly, the people of the UAE have adopted a very positive approach to peace, in unison with their leadership.
The vast majority of Israelis, too, have welcomed the treaty. The exception is the Joint Arab List faction, which has come under scathing criticism in recent days because nearly half its members didn't attend the vote to lower college tuition – yet arrived in almost full force to vote against the peace treaty. They didn't abstain and they weren't absent – they showed up to vote against the peace deal with the UAE.
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This is a mistake that history will prove unforgivable. The Joint List's unequivocal rejection of the treaty could cause immense damage to the image of Israel's Arab citizens in the eyes of the UAE and other Arab countries, which could open their doors to Arab Israelis, as Jordan did by welcoming thousands of Arab Israeli students and subsidizing their tuitions. In their vote against the treaty, members of the Joint Arab List proved they aren't only anti-war but also anti-peace, and to a large extent – against any Arab country that wants normal and friendly relations with Israel.
In the 1990s, during the Rabin years, Arab lawmakers enthusiastically voted in favor of the peace agreement with Jordan, praised King Hussein, forged personal relations, and accepted thousands of academic scholarships from the Hashemite monarchy on behalf of Arab Israeli students.
The current rejection of the peace treaty with the UAE raises questions, particularly in light of the fact that over the past 20 years Arab MKs have maintained personal ties with several Arab rulers and even convened highly publicized meetings with them – including with former Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, former Syrian dictator Hafez Assad and his son, Bashar Assad.
This, in addition to the close relationships they have built with the rulers of Qatar, from whom they raised millions of dollars for the soccer stadium in Sakhnin. And even though Qatar doesn't have official diplomatic relations with Israel, the stadium was named "Doha" after the Qatari capital.
Everyone is aware that one of the catalysts for rapprochement between Israel and the Gulf states is the Iranian threat, which the Arab MKs also aren't willing to acknowledge. Following the vote against the UAE treaty, Joint Arab List Chairman Ayman Odeh told the Iran-backed Al-Mayadeen satellite news channel: "They are trying to foist upon us the notion that Iran is the enemy, and we won't accept that."
Which brings us to the biggest question of all: Are we in favor of anyone who opposes the state of Israel; and are we opposed to anyone who is in favor of Israel? It's possible to take a position against the government and criticize its policies, which the basis for political and parliamentary work. With its latest move, however, the Joint Arab List voted against the state – not against the government.
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