Palestinians believe normalization deals made Israel more aggressive: Poll

A new survey shows that the majority of Palestinians are adamantly opposed to the US-sponsored normalization agreements between Israel and some Arab countries, saying the so-called Abraham Accords have made Israeli more aggressive.

According to the poll, conducted by Arab News-YouGov on the 75th anniversary of Nakba Day, 64 percent of the respondents opposed the normalization deals.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the so-called Abraham Accords with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani during an official ceremony hosted by former US President Donald Trump at the White House in September 2020.

The normalization deals, to which Sudan and Morocco later joined, have sparked widespread condemnations from the Palestinians as well as nations and human rights advocates across the globe, especially within the Muslim world.

Palestinians slammed the deals as a treacherous “stab in the back” and a betrayal of their cause against the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

When asked about the impact of the normalization agreements, 52 percent of those surveyed said that the accords had made Israel more aggressive toward Palestinians, while 43 percent said they had seen no impact or change.

The poll also revealed that 21 percent of respondents said “continued Israeli intimidation, settlements, and annexation” was the main reason behind the failure of so-called peace talks.

These results suggest that Palestinians see a range of factors contributing to the failure of past peace talks and initiatives, including both internal and external factors. 

ME