The encouraging developments especially in the UAE and a few other countries give me great hope for the future and are something I never would have imagined a decade ago. Let's hope it's a sign of greater changes as more countries and peoples throughout the region come to see that the Jews are home and Israel is here to stay. Children everywhere deserve to be raised and educated in love and respect, not hate.
I feel the same way. It is so exciting and moving to see these developments. I plan to write about them much more myself as part of my antisemitism and culture series and perhaps in some op-eds too.
I agree, I agree. Just...pays to stay cautious. These developments are still new, and in other places there's no progress at all. Let's hope the positive developments have most of the wind in their sails.
I have generally been so pessimistic about these sorts of improvements in the Muslim world happening that I'm going to take the opportunity to be an optimist for once!
I was meaning to ask you in response to your wonderful recent email but I may as well just ask publicly so others can get your take. What is your view on Saudi Arabia? Think they might join the Abraham accords anytime soon? Or do you take seriously their proclamation that they refuse to do so before a Palestinian state is created?
Some believe de facto ruler Crown Prince MBS wants to join the accords, but can't do so until his father passes on, since his father opposes it. If that were true, then the Palestinian-state thing would just be a dodge, to mark time. But I don't know if it's true, if MBS is really ready for it. Bibi has highlighted it because he would want to have it as a legacy achievement, formal peace with Saudi Arabia. Even if it doesn't materialize, there's a level of tacit cooperation and mutual acceptance between the two countries that many would have thought impossible earlier in this century. It's dramatic progress (for now) in any case, even if it doesn't get formalized.
The encouraging developments especially in the UAE and a few other countries give me great hope for the future and are something I never would have imagined a decade ago. Let's hope it's a sign of greater changes as more countries and peoples throughout the region come to see that the Jews are home and Israel is here to stay. Children everywhere deserve to be raised and educated in love and respect, not hate.
I feel the same way. It is so exciting and moving to see these developments. I plan to write about them much more myself as part of my antisemitism and culture series and perhaps in some op-eds too.
I agree, I agree. Just...pays to stay cautious. These developments are still new, and in other places there's no progress at all. Let's hope the positive developments have most of the wind in their sails.
I agree! But I'll take hope wherever I can get it.
I have generally been so pessimistic about these sorts of improvements in the Muslim world happening that I'm going to take the opportunity to be an optimist for once!
I was meaning to ask you in response to your wonderful recent email but I may as well just ask publicly so others can get your take. What is your view on Saudi Arabia? Think they might join the Abraham accords anytime soon? Or do you take seriously their proclamation that they refuse to do so before a Palestinian state is created?
Some believe de facto ruler Crown Prince MBS wants to join the accords, but can't do so until his father passes on, since his father opposes it. If that were true, then the Palestinian-state thing would just be a dodge, to mark time. But I don't know if it's true, if MBS is really ready for it. Bibi has highlighted it because he would want to have it as a legacy achievement, formal peace with Saudi Arabia. Even if it doesn't materialize, there's a level of tacit cooperation and mutual acceptance between the two countries that many would have thought impossible earlier in this century. It's dramatic progress (for now) in any case, even if it doesn't get formalized.
That’s an encouraging analysis. Thanks! Do you think any other Muslim states in particular might follow if Saudi Arabia joins?
Oman was thought to be likely, but last month its parliament passed a law against it--thought to have been motivated by the rise of Israel's new government with its considerable far-right contingent. Bibi, who shepherded this government into existence, forgot that he can't have it both ways. https://www.timesofisrael.com/oman-once-thought-to-be-next-abraham-accords-signer-criminalizes-ties-with-israel/