Dubai: Suha Arafat, the widow of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, has apologised to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its people on behalf of Palestinians who protested the latter's peace accord with Israel.
In an emotional write-up posted on Instagram, Suha Arafat said she wanted to apologise in the name of the Palestinian people.
“I want to apologise in the name of the honourable people of Palestine to the Emirati people and their leadership for the desecration and burning of the UAE flag in Jerusalem and Palestine, and for insulting the symbols of the beloved UAE country,” she wrote.
Suha Arafat's Instagram post came after Palestinians joined the protest against UAE after it signed a pact with Israel.
The deal finalised between the two countries on August 13, 2020 was announced by US President Donald Trump on August 13. The agreement also meant Israel has suspended plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
The deal between the two countries was opposed and termed as "betrayal" by a section in the Muslim world, especially the supporters of Turkey and Qatar.
Interestingly Turkey is the first Muslim country which entered into a pact with Israel back in 1949. Qatar too has a bilateral trade relationship with Israel though without having an open diplomatic relationship. Like Qatar, Oman too has a trade relationship with Israel.
Besides these countries, Jordan and Egypt too have diplomatic relationship with Israel.
In her Instagram post, Suha Arafat also urged the Palestinian people to look at years of Emirati support extended to their cause before taking a stance on the latest deal.
“I tell our generations to properly read history to know how the UAE, past and present, supported the Palestinian people and the cause,” she said.
“I apologise to the people and leadership of the Emirates for any harm done by any Palestinian to these generous and kind people who have always welcomed us", she reiterated.
"I apologise to the mother of the Emirates, Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, for this irresponsible behaviour", she added.
Meanwhile, amid specualtions that Saudi Arabia too can announce a similar accord with Israel, the Kingdom said the price for normalised relations with Israel was a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has set a price for concluding peace between Israel and the Arabs – it is the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital, as provided for by the initiative of the late King Abdullah," Prince Turki Al Faisal, former Saudi ambassador to the UK and US as well as the ex-head of intelligence, wrote in Asharq Al Awsat.
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