Israeli ministry: Majority of Arabs have ‘negative’ views on normalization with Israel

An Israeli report said an overwhelming majority of Arab social media users are critical of normalization with Israel.

The report found that 81 percent of Arab social media users had “negative” comments about the recent normalization deals signed between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain, and eight percent had “very negative” views, while only five percent viewed them in a positive light, Press TV wrote.

The report, which is based on a survey commissioned by Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry, also showed that almost half of comments about the Israel-UAE accord posted in the Arab social media (45 percent) deemed it as “treason”.

The survey, conducted between mid-August and mid-September, found that 27 percent lamented the UAE’s “interacting with Zionists”, 10 percent its “hypocrisy” and five percent saw the deal as Abu Dhabi surrendering to American interests.

According to the ministry, the hashtags “Normalization is treason” and “Bahrainis against normalization” together had a “potential exposure of over 100 million accounts”.

The UAE and Bahrain signed the controversial agreements to normalize ties with Israel at the White House on September 15, amid outrage across Palestine and the Muslim world.

The Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza with Al-Quds as its capital, view the deals as a betrayal of their cause.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu signed the agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani during an official ceremony hosted by US President Donald Trump.

The US-brokered deals make the UAE and Bahrain the third and fourth Arab states to move to normalize ties since Israel signed treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

Earlier this month, a survey revealed that Arab populations continue to overwhelmingly oppose the recognition of Israel and the establishment of ties with it, despite the recent deals.

Upcoming meeting

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Netanyahu said he and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince have agreed to meet soon after a phone conversation in which they discussed enhancing relations.

On Monday, Israel’s cabinet approved the September 15 normalization agreement with the UAE.

Netanyahu said later in a statement that he and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan would meet “soon”, and that they had extended invitations to pay reciprocal visits.

Abu Dhabi’s crown prince also confirmed in a tweet that he and Netanyahu had discussed boosting bilateral relations in a phone call.