Abraham Accords

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, a few days ago, Flight 971 took off from Tel Aviv Airport. You may say: Of course the flight took off from Tel Aviv; that happens every day--but not like this flight. You see, Flight 971 took off from Tel Aviv Airport, flew south, directly over Saudi Arabia, which hasn't happened, and landed in Abu Dhabi because the United Arab Emirates has formed a peace agreement with Israel-- recognizing its right to exist, opening up Embassies in Israel and in the United Arab Emirates, beginning trade in commerce. Just days ago, the first cargo aircraft took off and flew, taking supplies, technology, medicine--engagement between the Nation of Israel and the Arab nation of the United Arab Emirates, forming a new alliance in the Middle East.

Flight 971 is significant because 971 is the country code if you are going to call the United Arab Emirates. The return flight, by the way, leaving from Abu Dhabi and flying back to Israel is Flight 972--the country code for Israel.

That first flight that took off, on the outside of the plane were emblazoned three words--one in English, one in Hebrew, and one in Arabic--all translated, the word ``peace.''

It is a new day. And this week, when President Trump and the Foreign Ministers from the United Arab Emirates and from Bahrain and the Prime Minister of Israel all stood at the White House and spoke of each other in a new partnership and then all sat at a table and signed documents together, beginning a new relationship not just with UAE but also with Bahrain, it was a remarkable day in world history.

In 70 years of Israel's history, only two nations that are Arab nations have recognized Israel's right to exist, even--Jordan and Egypt. In 1 day, two more nations joined--the UAE and Bahrain. It was significant to be able to see the journey on that and to be able to hear the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain and UAE compliment President Trump, Mike Pompeo, and Jared Kushner for their leadership and, as the Foreign Minister from Bahrain said, President Trump's statesmanship in this process.

It was a negotiation that was turned on its head. For decades, American negotiators have tried to work to solve the issues with the Palestinians first and then to work to solve every other relationship second. That has been the American focus. The Trump negotiations reversed it. They believed that many in the Arab world were tired of the Palestinians holding their foreign policy hostage, and they flipped it and said: Why don't we start negotiating with the Arab world first and see if they want to open up trade negotiations with Israel and be able to stabilize those negotiations?

It has worked. Not only has it worked in two countries--in a single day signing an agreement--but there are multiple other nations that are currently looking at this same deal with Israel to say: Yes, we still need to resolve the issues in the Palestinian territory. Yes, that is still very important. But these nations can work toward peace and unity together as they resolve their differences.

They signed a document dealing with relationships diplomatically, but they also signed something they called the Abraham Accords Declaration. Let me read this accord to you because it is significant. It begins with this simple statement:

We, the undersigned, recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and around the world based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity and freedom, including religious freedom.

That is a significant statement. Nations have spoken of religious freedom, but it has not thrived there.

The document goes on to say:

We seek tolerance and respect for every person in order to make this world a place where all can enjoy a life of dignity and hope, no matter their race, faith, or ethnicity

We support science, art, medicine, and commerce to inspire humankind, maximize human potential and bring nations closer together.

We seek to end radicalization and conflict to provide all children a better future.

We pursue a vision of peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and around the world.

It was a document many people said would never be signed, but it is a stake in the ground to say it is a new day in the Middle East in peace negotiations and a pivot, as Prime Minister Netanyahu said.

Nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Amman, Morocco, Sudan, and Lebanon should take notice and should see the benefit to economic trade and engagement, to confronting Iranian influence in the area that tries to destabilize so much of the Middle East, pushing back on terrorism, and developing partnerships in science and health and technology and prosperity for everyone in the region. That happened this week.

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