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[Page S5695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ABRAHAM ACCORDS
Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, a few days ago, Flight 971 took off from
Tel Aviv Airport. You may say: Of course the flight took off from Tel
Aviv; that happens every day--but not like this flight. You see, Flight
971 took off from Tel Aviv Airport, flew south, directly over Saudi
Arabia, which hasn't happened, and landed in Abu Dhabi because the
United Arab Emirates has formed a peace agreement with Israel--
recognizing its right to exist, opening up Embassies in Israel and in
the United Arab Emirates, beginning trade in commerce. Just days ago,
the first cargo aircraft took off and flew, taking supplies,
technology, medicine--engagement between the Nation of Israel and the
Arab nation of the United Arab Emirates, forming a new alliance in the
Middle East.
Flight 971 is significant because 971 is the country code if you are
going to call the United Arab Emirates. The return flight, by the way,
leaving from Abu Dhabi and flying back to Israel is Flight 972--the
country code for Israel.
That first flight that took off, on the outside of the plane were
emblazoned three words--one in English, one in Hebrew, and one in
Arabic--all translated, the word ``peace.''
It is a new day. And this week, when President Trump and the Foreign
Ministers from the United Arab Emirates and from Bahrain and the Prime
Minister of Israel all stood at the White House and spoke of each other
in a new partnership and then all sat at a table and signed documents
together, beginning a new relationship not just with UAE but also with
Bahrain, it was a remarkable day in world history.
In 70 years of Israel's history, only two nations that are Arab
nations have recognized Israel's right to exist, even--Jordan and
Egypt. In 1 day, two more nations joined--the UAE and Bahrain. It was
significant to be able to see the journey on that and to be able to
hear the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain and UAE compliment President
Trump, Mike Pompeo, and Jared Kushner for their leadership and, as the
Foreign Minister from Bahrain said, President Trump's statesmanship in
this process.
It was a negotiation that was turned on its head. For decades,
American negotiators have tried to work to solve the issues with the
Palestinians first and then to work to solve every other relationship
second. That has been the American focus. The Trump negotiations
reversed it. They believed that many in the Arab world were tired of
the Palestinians holding their foreign policy hostage, and they flipped
it and said: Why don't we start negotiating with the Arab world first
and see if they want to open up trade negotiations with Israel and be
able to stabilize those negotiations?
It has worked. Not only has it worked in two countries--in a single
day signing an agreement--but there are multiple other nations that are
currently looking at this same deal with Israel to say: Yes, we still
need to resolve the issues in the Palestinian territory. Yes, that is
still very important. But these nations can work toward peace and unity
together as they resolve their differences.
They signed a document dealing with relationships diplomatically, but
they also signed something they called the Abraham Accords Declaration.
Let me read this accord to you because it is significant. It begins
with this simple statement:
We, the undersigned, recognize the importance of
maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and
around the world based on mutual understanding and
coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity and
freedom, including religious freedom.
That is a significant statement. Nations have spoken of religious
freedom, but it has not thrived there.
The document goes on to say:
We seek tolerance and respect for every person in order to
make this world a place where all can enjoy a life of dignity
and hope, no matter their race, faith, or ethnicity
We support science, art, medicine, and commerce to inspire
humankind, maximize human potential and bring nations closer
together.
We seek to end radicalization and conflict to provide all
children a better future.
We pursue a vision of peace, security, and prosperity in
the Middle East and around the world.
It was a document many people said would never be signed, but it is a
stake in the ground to say it is a new day in the Middle East in peace
negotiations and a pivot, as Prime Minister Netanyahu said.
Nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Amman, Morocco, Sudan, and
Lebanon should take notice and should see the benefit to economic trade
and engagement, to confronting Iranian influence in the area that tries
to destabilize so much of the Middle East, pushing back on terrorism,
and developing partnerships in science and health and technology and
prosperity for everyone in the region. That happened this week.
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