Robert Jenrick (Newark) (Con) I am grateful to you, Madam Deputy
Speaker, and the House for the opportunity to hold this short
debate, and to my right hon. Friend the Minister for his attention
this evening. As our main proceedings have finished early, I will
limit my remarks to about an hour, as I clearly have a fair amount
of time! I am only joking, of course; I will try to speak briefly.
This debate has three purposes. The first is to note and celebrate
a significant...Request free trial
(Newark) (Con)
I am grateful to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the House for the
opportunity to hold this short debate, and to my right hon.
Friend the Minister for his attention this evening. As our main
proceedings have finished early, I will limit my remarks to about
an hour, as I clearly have a fair amount of time! I am only
joking, of course; I will try to speak briefly.
This debate has three purposes. The first is to note and
celebrate a significant development that has occurred within the
last year in the middle east. The fact that Israel, the United
Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan—we note the concerning
situation in Sudan that we have heard about today and was
addressed in an earlier statement—have come together and taken a
material step forward in the relationships, normalising relations
between the nations, the faiths and the peoples, is potentially a
substantial step forward.
The second point that I would like to raise this evening is how
we can nurture this fragile agreement and help it to continue and
to broaden the circle of nations that have taken part in it. The
Israeli ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan, has said
that this is a bit like a wedding, in that we have had the party
and made vows to each other, but the true test is whether that
can lead to a lasting partnership. That work really is required
now. As with any marriage, it is up to friends, allies and
supporters to ensure that we help it to succeed in the months and
years to come.
That brings me to the third point that I would like to raise this
evening. What is the role for the United Kingdom, and for our
Government in particular, in taking this forward?
(Strangford) (DUP)
I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on bringing forward this
debate. I spoke to him last week about intervening tonight. He
asks what the United Kingdom can do. Does he not agree that the
anniversary of the Abraham accords is the perfect opportunity for
this House to reaffirm our commitment to the state of Israel and
to peace in the middle east as a whole, and to recognise the
achievement of continued peace during this past year? We can
celebrate that here, and Israel also deserves some credit for
what has happened.
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. He is absolutely
right. One of the purposes of this evening’s debate is to pause
for a moment and celebrate the state of Israel and those other
countries of the Gulf and north Africa, many of which are great
and long-standing allies of this country and friends with deep
associations, which we should be supporting. The events of just
over a year ago, when some of those countries were able to come
together and sign the accords, were very significant, and I do
not think we should underestimate the profound change in the
relationships that underpins those accords.
There have always been relations between those nations in one
form or another—often discreet and sometimes covert. Some of the
individuals who have helped to broker agreements, or tried to do
so, have built relationships themselves, person to person. My
uncle, Eli Rubinstein, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court in Israel, was the chief negotiator at the Camp David
accords. He told me that he would meet privately and holiday with
his former interlocutors from Jordan, Egypt and other states who
had been involved in those negotiations, in order to continue the
friendships that they had built up. However, that is nothing
compared with what we are now seeing as a result of these
transformational changes. In the past year alone, 200,000
Israelis have gone to the United Arab Emirates, mostly to Dubai,
for holidays and weddings. Synagogues have been set up in hotels
for Rosh Hashanah. There were synagogues in ballrooms in the
four-star and five-star hotels that many are familiar with in the
United Arab Emirates. That is something that could not have been
imagined just a year or so ago.
Economically, the ties are already increasing at a rapid pace. At
Dubai Expo, Israel became one of the 191 countries to have its
own stand. That was the first time that Israel had been welcomed
to a trade exhibition in an Arab nation. Already, almost $700
million of bilateral trade has occurred between Israel and the
UAE alone. Latterly, that has been surpassed by one single
transaction between the sovereign wealth fund of the UAE and
Israel.
We have seen other things that were almost inconceivable just a
few months or years ago. There have been joint efforts by Israeli
and UAE organisations and businesses to take forward the port of
Haifa. It has not come to pass but, none the less, there has been
a proposal by UAE interests to purchase a football club in
Israel. We have seen collaboration on covid vaccines and
research, and we have even seen a kidney transplant facilitated
jointly by the UAE and an Israeli donor programme. The list goes
on.
Beyond those two nations, others have joined in different ways.
Some prominently, such as Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, and others
in simpler ways that we should not underestimate, such as the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enabling flights over the kingdom for the
first time, thereby enabling the thousands of tourists and
businesspeople—the human interactions that could not have
happened otherwise. There is increased sharing of intelligence
and security, and greater religious tolerance has been
encouraged.
On Saudi media, for example, the imam of the Grand Mosque in
Mecca urged Muslims to avoid passionate emotions and fiery
enthusiasm towards Jews, which will make a difference over time.
Of course, it is not just the citizens of these countries who see
it. People growing up in all parts of the middle east share the
same media and look at the same websites, and they will see those
images of Israelis, Muslims and Arabs from the Gulf nations
meeting, sharing bread, doing business and sharing innovation,
technology and security.
The benefits to the UK are also clear. Of course we, other than
perhaps the United States, are the deepest ally and friend of
many of these nations. We have huge trade in innovation,
technology and security interests, all of which becomes simpler
and easier for us to do knowing that relations are gradually
normalising between these nations to which we already have strong
ties.
The accords will also benefit interfaith relations here in the
UK, as our Jewish and Muslim communities are able to see the
normalisation of relations, with more tolerant and sensible
language being used in the middle east, and peaceful co-existence
beginning to happen, if only in a small way.
In May 2021, during the Gaza conflict, we saw a serious
diminution in relations between the Jewish and Muslim communities
in this country—perhaps the worst seen for several years. There
was an increase in hate crime, as recorded by the Community Security
Trust with respect to antisemitic abuse and by Tell MAMA
with respect to Islamophobic and anti-Muslim hate crime. We saw
terrible incidents, such as the convoy of vehicles through
Golders Green in north London. The relations that are now
building between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries in the Gulf
can only be positive in helping to build ties and break down
barriers.
It is easy to be cynical about what happened a year ago, but the
Abraham accords have proved to be remarkably resilient. They have
survived the change in US Administration. Although, of course, it
would be natural for an incoming Administration to be reluctant
to take up with the same zeal something that was such a signature
of the previous Administration, we have now seen positive and
encouraging signs from Secretary Blinken, who has said that he,
too, wants to take forward the Abraham accords and widen the
circle of nations that are part of them. He has had positive
conversations, of which he has spoken recently, with other
countries in the Gulf and the broader middle east. He said the
accords were
“an important achievement, one that not only we support, but one
we’d like to build on… we’re looking at countries that may want
to join in and…begin…their own relations with Israel.”
Most recently, I was heartened to see Jake Sullivan, the US
National Security Adviser, raise normalisation with Saudi Arabian
Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. That would, of course, be a
major step as Saudi Arabia is the most significant regional
player but, short of normalisation, there could be smaller steps
that Saudi Arabia might consider. I have already mentioned that
it gave support in one form or another to Bahrain to participate
and that it has enabled flights over its airspace, so it may be
willing to take steps short of outright acceptance and
normalisation. Of course, progress might be possible with other
nations such as Oman.
The accords managed to survive the 11-day Gazan conflict, which
tested relationships both here and in the middle east. All of
that points to the accords being substantial and lasting.
However, we should not be naive. Such developments may look like
the dawn of a new era in the middle east, but they could easily
unravel. That might happen were there an escalation in the
conflict between Israel and Gaza or Palestine, or between Israel
and Iran, or on many other issues that might galvanise sentiment
in the Gulf and help to see that progress set aside.
The draws me to the thrust of the debate: what is the role of the
United Kingdom and our Government? As I have suggested, we have
an important role to play. Short of the United States, we have
the deepest and longest-standing relationships in the region in
diplomacy and security, as well as the relations between our
royal family and those of Gulf nations. We also have huge numbers
of citizens who know and have relatives in those respective
countries. There must be an important role for us and our other
allies—in Europe, for example—to help to stiffen the sinews and
give the Abraham accords lasting impact.
In many respects, it is disappointing that the UK was not closely
associated with the work done last year. In 2019, I was
privileged to represent the UK at the Peace to Prosperity
conference in Bahrain organised by Jared Kushner, the then
special adviser to President Trump. It was easy to be cynical of
that initiative—it was very unlikely that the Israel-Palestine
conflict would have been materially advanced by that conference
or by Jared Kushner’s proposals—but, from spending time there, it
was clear that deep relationships were being built between
nations in the Gulf and the United States and, above all, with
Israel, and that they might just bear fruit. On one day—it was
not widely publicised at the time—a number of delegates from a
range of countries, including Arab nations, visited a synagogue
in Bahrain. We could see at the conference that things were
changing. Perhaps it is a pity that the UK was not at the
forefront of what came next, but it is easy for us to take it
forward now.
What would I like us to do? I see my right hon. Friend the
Minister in his place, and he has already spoken publicly about
the United Kingdom’s support for the Abraham accords, including,
I believe, earlier in the year at an event here in the House of
Commons. There is an opportunity for us to use our diplomatic
power, our diplomatic and security relationships and our rapidly
building commercial ties actively to get fully behind the
initiative. Through that, we can support those nations who have
already signed up to the Abraham accords, to help ensure that we
do not see that progress slip through our fingers. We can also
think carefully about which other nations might be willing to
sign up to the accords or to take steps in that direction. I have
mentioned a few. Saudi Arabia would be the most significant, but
others might be easier and faster to achieve, and we are
particularly well placed with our relationship with Oman.
I hope that my right hon. Friend the Minister and the Foreign
Secretary will take that forward. It seems to accord with all our
foreign policy objectives. It helps us to build and deepen
relationships with our friends and allies. It helps to bring
lasting peace to the middle east, one step at a time. It helps us
to bring different communities and faiths together for the
benefit of individuals living in the middle east and in our
country. It also helps to point towards a better future beyond
the middle east, showing that long-standing enmities can be set
aside and that, with a leap of faith, we can make moves towards
peace and a better future.
21:09:00
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa ()
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend the Member for Newark
() for securing this debate
and highlighting an incredibly important event. The Abraham
accords were indeed an historic moment, beginning a new chapter
in Israeli foreign policy and regional collaboration, hopefully
bringing us all a step closer to resolving one of the major
issues driving instability and conflict in the middle east.
As my right hon. Friend said, the UK enjoys excellent
relationships with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel.
Those strong relationships are built on a mutually held desire to
further the cause of peace and stability in the region and the
wider world. A recent example was when the Prime Minister
welcomed the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, to London last month, demonstrating
the strength of our historic relationship with the UAE and our
commitment to working together to advance regional prosperity,
peace and security.
The United Kingdom and Bahrain also have a close and
long-standing relationship—one reinforced during my recent visit
to Bahrain. We benefit from a genuine and open dialogue, working
together on mutually beneficial issues while also being able to
speak frankly when we have concerns. Meanwhile, the UK is
Israel’s largest European trading partner, with total trade worth
around £5 billion last year—a significant increase on the 2019
figures. We are working together on a new, ambitious UK-Israel
free trade agreement that will modernise our trading
relationship, covering new areas such as technology and data.
Israel remains an incredibly important strategic partner, and we
collaborate closely on issues such as counter-terrorism and cyber
to address our shared national security threats. The recent
Carrier Strike Group engagements, including at the port of Haifa,
demonstrated the strength of UK-Israel defence ties. I am happy
to make it clear that our commitment to Israel’s security is
unwavering.
My right hon. Friend mentioned the fact that good friends of the
UK came together through the Abraham accords to be good friends
to each other. Those three great friends of the UK chose a path
of peace, collaboration and prosperity between societies,
cultures and, as he was right to point out, peoples. We were one
of the first countries to welcome the accords and to celebrate
the other normalisation agreements that followed with Morocco
and, as my right hon. Friend said, Sudan.
During the last 12 months, we have been celebrating and
reinforcing the agreements, although that period has of course
proved a challenge. We are pleased to see that the three nations
have grasped the opportunities that normalisation presented. We
have seen burgeoning economic partnerships in travel, technology,
energy, climate and more. Just last month, Israeli Foreign
Minister Lapid made his first official visit to the Kingdom of
Bahrain, thus enhancing bilateral ties.
A new Israeli embassy has opened in Manama. Direct commercial
flights have commenced and agreements have been reached on sport,
health and environmental protection. During my visit to Bahrain,
I had the pleasure of being at a bilateral lunch when the new
Bahraini ambassador to Israel received a phone call telling him
that he was going to be Bahrain’s first ever ambassador to the
state of Israel.
For me, perhaps one of the most wonderful and moving moments is
when I had the pleasure, during Hanukkah last year, to be present
at the virtual lighting of the Menorah. It was an event where I,
the Ambassadors to the Court of St James from the United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain and Israel came together in this iconic Jewish
festival. It showcased the strength of commitment from all sides
to this agreement to reinforce the longevity and prosperity of
their relationship.
My right hon. Friend was right to mention the fact that the
United Kingdom has helped to celebrate through this year. I am
grateful to my right hon. Friend the Member for North Somerset
() for organising a reception here in the House of Commons
where representatives from Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab
Emirates came together to celebrate the anniversary of the
Abraham accords.
My right hon. Friend the Member for Newark mentioned the
relationship between Israel and the Palestinians and he was
absolutely right to do so. It is important that these agreements
also lead to tangible benefits for the Palestinian people. Sadly,
the escalation in violence that we saw in May of this year and
the loss of life that resulted is yet another reminder that we
collectively have a responsibility to break the cycle of violence
using our strong and strengthening relationships with all the
parties.
As the Abraham accords demonstrated with the suspension of plans
for annexation, normalisation has had a positive track record for
delivering progress toward shared goals. The UK is committed to
making progress towards a sustainable two-state solution that
ensures a safe and secure Israel living alongside a safe and
secure Palestinian state based on 1967 border lines, with
Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states. We believe that
negotiations will be the only way to get this outcome that will
be supported by Israelis, Palestinians and the wider
international community. Echoing the words of Israel’s Minister
of Defence, Benny Gantz, the accords have opened a “window of
opportunity” to advance steps towards a political middle east
peace process.
We want to see greater co-ordination and co-operation between
Israelis and Palestinians, particularly on economic initiatives,
to help improve the day-to-day lives of Palestinians and build
increased dialogue. It is incumbent on us all to seize the
opportunity afforded to us by the accords and make meaningful
progress towards sustainable, long-term peace in the region.
We welcome recent engagements between the Israeli Government and
the Palestinian leadership, including the meeting between
Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Defence Minister Gantz on
29 August this year.
I am due to visit Israel in December—my first visit as the
Minister for the region, although, of course, not my first visit
to the country. I will then have completed the trio of the
Abraham accords’ initial signatories, having visited the United
Arab Emirates and Bahrain earlier this year. I look forward to
discussing what further opportunities the accords bring, not just
regarding our respective relationships with Israel, the Arab
Emirates and Bahrain, but to see what we can do to use the
accords to further peace and prosperity in the region more
widely. Of course, we have encouraged other nations to seize this
opportunity and to normalise their relations with the state of
Israel. We urge further direct engagement and call on all parties
to work together to tackle the immediate and long-term threats to
peace and security.
The Abraham accords demonstrate how normalisation can bring
people together to forge new friendships and, as my right hon.
Friend said, perhaps most importantly to nurture hope. We will
continue to intensify our diplomatic efforts in the region,
focused on creating the conditions for long-term, sustainable
peace. I look forward to working closely with my opposite numbers
in the UAE, Bahrain and Israel, and, indeed, any other country
that wishes to join and support the normalisation of relations,
and bring peace, strength and stability to the region.
Question put and agreed to.
21:20:00
House adjourned.
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