Israeli Arab Hadash party holds protest vigil against UAE-Israel peace deal
Headline: “Nazareth: A protest vigil against the normalization agreement between the UAE and Israel”
“The [Israeli Arab] Hadash party organized a protest vigil yesterday [Aug. 22, 2020] against the normalization agreement between the UAE and Israel (see note below –Ed.), which comes at the expense of our Palestinian people, its rights, and its just cause.
Members and activists of the party and Israeli [Arab] Parliament Members Mtanes Shihadeh and Heba Yazbak participated in the vigil, which was held at the city square in Nazareth.
The party said that its position that rejects the agreement constitutes the position of the male and female members of our people, particularly because we are on the threshold of a difficult new period after the deal of the century (i.e., refers to US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan) and the UAE’s normalization agreement.
The participants in the vigil waved the Palestinian flag and slogans and signs condemning the normalization with the occupation.”
Text on signs: “Palestine is stronger than your normalization” and “Down with the deal of shame”
Israel-UAE peace agreement (Abraham Accords) – an agreement normalizing diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was announced on Aug. 13, 2020, under the mediation of US President Donald Trump. Pursuant to the agreement, the countries will discuss bilateral cooperation on a number of topics. In exchange for the agreement, Israel agreed to suspend its previously announced plans to apply Israel's civilian law to parts of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley as per the Trump peace plan. The US announced that “Muslims throughout the world who wish to come in peace to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque, will now be able to fly to Tel Aviv through Abu Dhabi to do so and will be welcomed.”
The Trump peace plan – US President Donald Trump announced his Israel–Palestinian peace plan "Peace to Prosperity" – commonly known as “the deal of the century” - on Jan. 28, 2020. Main points of the plan: 1- Israeli sovereignty would be applied to the Jordan Valley and all Israeli towns and cities in the West Bank. 2- Jerusalem, including all its holy sites, would remain under Israeli sovereignty with accommodations made to enable access for Palestinians. 3- The remainder of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and part of what is currently Israeli land in the Negev, the Galilee, and Jerusalem - creating a territory almost equal in size to the West Bank and Gaza Strip - would form the Palestinian state, with its capital in neighborhoods in East Jerusalem that are outside of Israel's security wall. 4- The Palestinian state would be demilitarized, with Israel responsible for external security and controlling all airspace. 5- All Palestinian prisoners except murderers, and those who attempted or conspired to murder would be released. 6- Palestinians in refugee camps would be absorbed into their host countries and, subject to certain limitations, into the Palestinian state. 7- Before becoming a state, the Palestinians would have to carry out extensive reform of their laws and institutions, including implementing a new governing system; granting its people due process and basic human rights and freedoms; end all incitement to and incentivizing of terror; end all glorification of terror and martyrdom; disarm Hamas; and adopt a culture promoting peace. The goal of the plan is to create a Palestinian state beside Israel, living in peace and security. The implementation would be facilitated through extensive international investment.