OPINION: Why the Abraham Accords still matter
Labour MP Jon Pearce reflects on his groundbreaking trip from Israel to the UAE — and argues that peace, prosperity, and UK interests all depend on normalisation in the face of Iranian extremism
As chair of Labour Friends of Israel, last week I became the first British MP to travel between Israel and the UAE – an unimaginable reality before the historic Abraham Accords in 2020.
My flight – one of 18-daily ones which now shuttle back and forth between the two countries – was chockful of young Israeli families off on holiday and businesspeople. What was so remarkable about the journey is how quickly it has become normal.
The truth is that despite the terrible war in Gaza, the Abraham Accords demonstrate how durable peace is when underpinned by shared values and a commitment to security and prosperity.
A principal goal of Hamas’ 7 October attacks was to scupper the burgeoning process of normalisation with Israel for other countries in the region, especially Saudi Arabia. Iran and its terrorist proxies are bent on Israel’s destruction and the undermining of regional security for more moderate, pragmatic Arab states. Indeed, Israel’s further integration into the region will be key to maintaining security for Israel and those moderate Arab states alike.
In Abu Dhabi, I met with Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, a member of the UAE Federal National Council, to discuss the UK’s continued support for the Abraham Accords and our driving ambition to see further normalisation of relations in the region.
That’s why Labour Friends of Israel is calling on the government to create a Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords at ambassador level. We also discussed the country’s laudable efforts to promote tolerance in the face of Islamist extremism – a destabilising ideology embodied and exported by the regime in Tehran.
While in the UAE, I visited the inspiring Abrahamic Family House – a symbol of a region in the midst of transformation – from one of isolation to unity in tolerance.
I had the pleasure of meeting with some of the Jewish families who are building a new life in the Gulf.
There’s a thriving nursery, an active communal calendar and kosher restaurants. During my visit, communal leaders were busy making arrangements for Pesach, delivering matzot to Jews across the country.
During my visit to Israel, Israelis were sent to shelters from ballistic missile attacks launched by the Houthis and Hamas, both of which target Israel with Tehran-supplied advanced weapons. In Abu Dhabi, I was briefed on how the Houthis have similarly fired missiles at the UAE in recent years.
My flight – one of 18-daily ones which now shuttle back and forth between the two countries – was chockful of young Israeli families off on holiday and businesspeople
The UK’s continued involvement in a multinational coalition of countries to police the Red Sea – where the Houthis have disrupted commercial shipping for more than a year – is testament to our commitment to peace in the region. Our government’s recent decision to list Iran and its terror army – the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) – on the highest tier of its new foreign influence register recognises the real threat posed by the Islamic Republic not only to Israel, but also to the UK.
The victims of Hamas’ war include the hostages and their families – both the 59 who remain in horrific captivity and those who have returned. The release of hostages during the last ceasefire brought with it harrowing stories of torture, starvation and prolonged isolation.
For both Israelis and the people of Gaza, we must do all we can to support a lasting ceasefire and the free flow of aid to the people of Gaza. During my visit, the people of Gaza began to rise up in protest against Hamas’ terrorist rule – recognising they have brought nothing but evil and destruction.
The suffering I witnessed for both Israelis and Palestinians is utterly heartbreaking. This cycle of violence must finally end, and for good. The path to peace lies in building constituencies for peace among both Israelis and Palestinians through an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. The path to regional security lies in normalisation – where the UK can support Arab states and Israel to build a shared future based on a commitment to peace and prosperity. A two-state solution must remain our ultimate objective.
When security and normalisation are the result, Israelis support peace. They support peace for the whole of their troubled region.
- Jon Pearce is MP for High Peak and chair of Labour Friends of Israel
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