[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 161 (Thursday, September 17, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            ABRAHAM ACCORDS

  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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