On September 15, Israel and America celebrated the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords. I personally was working with both American and Israeli officials on celebrating in Israel the unprecedented agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. The actual event was supposed to take place this week.
The Abraham Accords, which were orchestrated by the Trump Administration, seemed to be spreading throughout the Middle East and the region. Sudan had signed on to the declarative portion of the Accords, Oman welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018, and Saudi Arabia was close to joining the Accords. Saudi Arabia allowed an Air Seychelles plane carrying 128 passengers, many Israeli, flying to Tel Aviv on August 28, to land in Jeddah because of an electrical issue. This had never happened before, and was a strong indication as to the positive direction the two countries were moving and headed. Israel Tourism Minister Haim Katz was the first Israeli cabinet member to visit Saudi Arabia on September 26. He was warmly received. “Normalization” talks were making real and significant progress. The leaders of the Arab world were realizing that working with Israel, rather than against Israel, would benefit Muslims worldwide and especially in their respective countries. In order to advance their population, partnering with Israel, with its high-level technological development, would provide immediate dividends - and was doing so. The Gulf States have been extremely fearful of a nuclear Iran and have moved closer to Israel and the West as a direct result. Ties with Israel would not only provide technological support but military protection as well. The Gulf States were and still are convinced that Israel will not let Iran obtain a nuclear weapon. Saudi Arabia has opened up its airspace for Israeli commercial flights and presumably has given Israel the green light for military aircraft as well. This is crucial if Israel is planning the bombing of Iran’s nuclear capability.
On October 7, with the Iranian-directed massacre by its proxy Hamas of 1400 Israelis (the number continues to rise) and the abduction of 250 men, women, and children, the world has forever changed. It is a blot against humanity. Civilization has been forever stained and degraded. Israel is busy making peace and Hamas is plotting destruction. Millions of dollars that went to Gaza for humanitarian purposes ended up being used for missiles, guns, and cement for terror tunnels. Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005 in order for the Arabs of Gaza to advance their lot in life. Millions of dollars poured in. Beautiful farms were handed over to them. Former synagogues were turned into horse stables, the farms were turned into launching pads for missiles. Instead of going forward, the Gazans went backwards. Iran and Hamas do not want peace with Israel. They only seek Israel’s ruin and annihilation.
Their rape and sodomization of women, their beheading of babies, their kidnapping and murder of Holocaust survivors demonstrates their utter evil. Civilization cannot and should not tolerate evil. Ultimately, Iran will have to be dealt with. First, Hamas has to be brought to justice. This will happen soon. Then Israel can continue the business of peace with its Arab neighbors.
Joseph M. Frager is a physician and lifelong activist.
