What do ordinary Arabs think about normalizing relations with Israel?
Abstract
On Sept. 15, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel formally signed the “Abraham Accords,” establishing normal diplomatic relations. Supporters like President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the agreement as an unprecedented step toward peace.
Not everyone agrees. A number of prominent public figures and civil society groups argue the move is aimed at pressuring Palestinians to accept a state without sovereignty, while granting authoritarian Arab Persian Gulf nations international legitimacy and greater access to new technologies for repression.
What do ordinary Arabs think? The 2019-2020 polling data of the Arab Opinion Index suggests that many Arabs are at odds with their governments on the question of Israel. The vast majority of Arabs probably oppose normalization and express a high degree of support for Palestinian statehood and rights.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-26-2020
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2020, The Washington Post.
Recommended Citation
El Kurd, D. (2020, October). “What do ordinary Arabs think about normalization with Israel?” The Monkey Cage blog, The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/26/what-do-ordinary-arabs-think-about-normalizing-relations-with-israel/