Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Affirmed Emirati Commitment to Palestinians, Op-ed


Mon 07 Sep 2020 | 10:12 PM
Hassan El-Khawaga

Observers cannot dispute that the UAE leadership and people have always supported the cause and the Palestinians from day one, Dr. Salem Al-Ketbi, the UAE writer and analyst, said.

Nothing has changed, except in the minds of the exploiters of the cause and the skeptics of the UAE’s unchanging positions.

Reacting to skeptics and bids to cloud the issue, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said that the UAE is committed to a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“Peace is a strategic choice,” HH said, addressing the Palestinians residing in the UAE in a speech read by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

“But not at the expense of the Palestinian cause,” he continued, adding that the UAE is their second homeland.

The UAE’s government and people cannot compromise on these established constants. This would be contrary to the founding principles of the state. Supporting just causes, not least the cause of the Palestinians, is one of them.

The message of the Emirati leadership silences the chicanery and hijackers of the cause looking to discredit the UAE. They are doing their best to draw it into a war of words and imagined conflicts that pert their attention from the future and its bets on development, which are the main drivers of all UAE policies and strategic plans.

Surely, the televised speech of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Palestinian community confirms the awareness of UAE leaders of how important it is to communicate directly with communities so as not to leave the opportunity for vicious and scheming minds to undo the bond between the Emirati and Palestinian peoples.

The UAE is embarking on a formal path for its good as well as for a better way of resolving the Palestinian issue through unconventional alternatives and solutions, after decades of unsuccessful efforts. These have failed to achieve a real breakthrough in the interest of the Palestinians.

The UAE has always banked on its good relations with Arab societies. The country invests in these relations, believing that this approach is the most effective one to embody its principles and values aimed at building and providing a decent life for human beings.

It is, therefore, crucial for the UAE to clarify the reality of its position towards the Palestinians. Things must not be left to rumors. The UAE is a country of loyalty. It never forgets those who have contributed to its construction and development.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was, therefore, clear when he praised the positive role of the Palestinians in his country’s rebirth. He stressed that the UAE will always be a welcoming home for them and their families.

This message is particularly strong and relevant at this time, as some Palestinian officials have sowed confusion about the UAE-Israel peace agreement.

The Emirates has a tradition of not letting things up to chance and of not letting its residents be prey to anxiety and fear. The UAE is a country of serenity that seeks security, peace, stability, and happiness for all its people.

It took upon itself to radiate peace and tranquility in the hearts, based on the bonds of brotherhood and noble human sentiments that govern their policy towards all societies, beginning with the Arab and Islamic world.