AMAC Exclusive – By Daniel Roman
In the Negev Desert of southern Israel on Monday, a gathering occurred which would have been a sign of hell freezing over five years ago. The Foreign Ministers of Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Morocco gathered for the first of what promises to be an annual series of security summits. According to an Arab diplomat present at the summit, the greatest miracle was “simply that it took place,” which the Times of Israel described as “unimaginable before the previous U.S. administration brokered normalization agreements between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco known as the Abraham Accords.”
Nonetheless, despite the optimism of the occasion the transition between administrations hung over the gathering like Banquo’s ghost. Secretary of State Blinken’s attendance was seen as key to allowing Arab leaders to attend, but Blinken twice cancelled on Israel, forcing a postponement of the summit. The reception he received provides an indication of why he may not have been so eager to attend.
To an outside observer, it would have seemed Blinken was in the Negev not as a host or facilitator, but as a defendant taking the stand to defend President Joe Biden. Arranged against him were the foreign ministers of America’s erstwhile allies, Israel, Morocco, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt. The charges? More than a year of policies by the Biden administration which seemed designed to antagonize, isolate, or undermine America’s friends and appease its enemies in the region. If the summit was an opportunity for unity among the attendees, that unity came in the form of a desire to air their grievances to Blinken, and demand better in the future.
While every attendee is a nominal ally of the United States, and the conference could not have happened without the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, virtually every country present had a bone to pick with the Biden administration. Blinken found himself on the defensive from the start on Iran, facing a grilling from the Israelis over Biden’s determination to drop sanctions on Iran. Israel, however, stood united with its Arab neighbors. The U.S. is reportedly on the verge of the removing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp from Washington’s list of terrorist organizations at a time when the group is launching attacks on Saudi and UAE forces in Yemen, firing missiles into Iraq, and training guerrillas to threaten Morocco from Algeria.
That was hardly the only source of disputes. The Biden administration has had a tortured relationship with the UAE, whose leader refused Biden’s calls earlier this month when Biden tried to convince the Emirates to increase oil production. This spat emerged after a year in which the Biden administration, far from treating the UAE as an ally against Iran, treated it as the aggressor in Yemen. Channeling the arguments of many on the left and in academia that the Iranian Houthi-backed rebels in Yemen, far from being terrorists, are freedom fighters struggling against Saudi/UAE bombardments of civilians, the Biden administration froze military aid to both countries and began pressuring them to withdraw. The result was not peace in Yemen, but that the Houthis began firing missiles into Saudi Arabia and at Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, during a visit by Israel’s President. This may explain why the UAE was hardly willing to come to Biden’s rescue over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Moroccans had aggrievements of their own. The case of the Houthis was not the only example of Biden’s State Department attempting to turn the preoccupations of left-wing international relations courses in U.S. universities into policy, this time regarding the Western Sahara. As part of the Abraham Accords in which Morocco recognized Israel Donald Trump recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, a largely arid region which Portugal had ceded in 1975. Morocco, one of the few Arab states with multiparty elections and a protected Jewish population, had faced insurgencies in the region, first Marxist, more recently Iranian and Algerian backed, which had received sympathy from the American left despite being geopolitical tools of efforts by America’s foes to oust the government in Rabat. Before Biden was sworn into office, Senators pressured him to reverse the decision as did Foreign Policy magazine and Bloomberg. Although the Biden State Department finally unveiled a map of Morocco showing Western Sahara as part of the country in January of 2022, for more than a year the United States had isolated one of its historic allies.
There are some signs that the Biden Administration realizes the errors it has made and is making an attempt to quietly return to Trump’s policies. The formal recognition of Moroccan control of the Western Sahara is one. Biden’s belated efforts to contact the Gulf leaders is another. Blinken’s decision to travel to the Negev, having cancelled twice before, is perhaps the best evidence that with Russia and Ukraine at war, and global energy and food markets disrupted, even the Biden team realizes they don’t have the luxury of antagonizing everyone.
It remains to be seen whether this shift will move from words into deeds where it matters most, though: Iran. The renewed Iran deal was negotiated by a Russian diplomat, and Russia is demanding that the deal must include methods for Russia itself to evade sanctions. The behavior of Iran in the region, including firing missiles at the U.S. consulate in Iraq last week, shows that neither Moscow nor Tehran are acting in good faith. Yet the Biden Administration seems myopically dedicated to reviving the deal.
They should beware: the Negev powers have other options. The UAE already chose to acquire Chinese jets after Biden cut off military aid. Next year, it might not be Blinken in the dock. Xi Jinping could be the guest of honor at the 2023 Negev Security Conference.
Daniel Roman is the pen name of a frequent commentator and lecturer on foreign policy and political affairs, both nationally and internationally. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics.
Not mentioned with any clarity on this story is the Russian/Iran partnership with respect to Russian oil shipped to Iran & resold back to America as Iranian oil if Iran gets the sanctions relief it so desires from the Biden administration…It should come as no surprise why Biden’s phone calls were left unanswered with respect to the Abraham Accord Middle East nations & why SOS Blinken was on the defensive from the get go after canceling this meeting twice…Blinken was there only because of the fix the Biden administration finds itself in, furthermore if it was not for the President Donald J. Trump Abraham Accords themselves, the Biden administration would NEVER have been invited to attend in the first place…
This is what happens when a president leads from behind, when he has absolutely no idea how international diplomacy works as they find themselves in a very tight spot, i.e. the release of ( 1 ) MILLION gals. of oil per day for the next ( 6 ) months from the U.S. strategic oil reserves… Rigged, i.e. stolen elections have consequences & all of us here in America are being forced to live it, day in, day out…
Oh, how I miss President Donald J. Trump, he truly was the only grown up in the room & the Middle East Abraham Accords clearly points this out, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco know this only to well…
America First, MAGA…
Bill… :~)
At the rate the Biden administration is alienating our Middle Eastern allies and emboldening and impowering our Middle Eastern enemies, I fully expect that aside from Israel, the rest of the Middle East will be completely aligned with China by 2024. The United States will be reduced to a nation with little to no influence in the Middle East. The same will be said for much of western Europe, South America and Africa. Which will leave Biden more time to enjoy his ice cream cones and long walks with Jill and his dog at his beach house. Elections have consequences.
The Middle East leaders know what Toilet Putin is trying to do, and they realize that his goals are NOT in their best interest to support. Putin is leaning towards trying to become the World’s second coming of the Devil Adolph Hitler. Iran is possibly an out-lying exception to some extent (Iran still has its dander up about not being able to manipulate Trump like they did Obummer.
President Donald JOHN TRUMP did more for our foreign relations than probably any other president in our history. Who would have ever believed that the vial distain that Israel and the Arab nation have always had for each other could ever be eased, well TRUMP did just that and more, probably the smoothest and we’ll versed foreign relations negotiator we ever had (and the compromised leftist media and press did everything and anything to destroy his accomplishments ) . We’ll look what we now have in our highest and most powerful position in the world??. If I didn’t know any better I would swear this is a nightmare and when I wake up none of this could possibly happen! I literally cannot believe that this demented and totally INSTALLED FRAUD is still even allowed to do the diabolical and sabotaging political moves he’s been directed to follow through with. Oh and it’s now a given that Israel will use nuclear weapons before they are destroyed! Thank you FJB
Excellent article everybody should read.
Reading between the lines is most important.
With DICTATOR Beijing biden so eager to support TERRORIST Iran including giving them $Billions of dollars in his first year in office and bowing down to Communist China who Iran is buddying up with is a recipe for Iran to launch Nuclear Weapons at the United States.
Bottom line: DICTATOR Beijing biden is setting up the UNITED STATES of AMERICA for ANNIHILATION.
Not just our Energy, Food, Jobs, and Country. But our FREEDOM and LIVES.
Just look at ALL THE TERRORIST THAT DICTATOR Beijing biden is LETTING IN AT OUR BORDERS.
Hint: INVASION. AT DICTATOR Beijing biden’s blessing. ALL PAID FOR WITH YOUR MONEY.
Excellent piece, except for the references to our allies as “erstwhile” and “nominal.” They ARE our allies. The United States’ enemy is the Biden Administration.
You know that Jackass Joe is delusional because he doesn’t seem to care that he will go down in American history as the WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!
Trump is the man. I believe that over time he will go down in the history books as another Washington type, a lover of freedom, a believer in America and the American people.
Biden and his Administration jackals are traitors to the USA.
with no National Republican protests America will slowly sink into the abyss on no return.
Complacency by the masses is the result of our demise.
There is no comparison between the two. Biden gets an “F”, Trump gets an “A”. Simple as that. Biden has screwed every thing up so badly, it will take years for recovery and implementation of what is best for “we the people”, and not what the elites want to put in their bank accounts.
Republicans lose elections when they STOP doing what they promised to get elected.
Democrats lose elections when DO what they promised to get elected.
Not surprise for when President Trump was in control, negotiate for peace.
To quote Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, Surprise, SURPRISE!”
Bliken deserves it.
Democrats a party of destruction. When was the last time you heard the words God, Family or Patriotism from this admin.? The fish stinks from the head.
NO admin. could be this incompetent creating one crisis after another, if not by design.
The liberals, democrats, progressives ideas and beliefs live in 1935. They are fighting the social battles that are long since over. The result is exactly what we see. this massive over correction without any understanding of the consequences and no long term of systematic thinking.
We have had a racist anti white people law for 65 years which gives minorities and unfair advantage over whites yet minorities are more convinced then ever that their are oppressed.
What we need is to erase all special benefits to everyone. everything equal. Then make it so that you must have id that proves you are a citizen to vote.
If you think you have been oppressed or discriminated against prove it in court.
Democrats are a blight.
Lets go Brandon.
Covid is a walk in the park compared to the true disease killing America, the democrat party! There is no JFK democrat party anymore in this country except for the fools who believed the lies their own “leaders” created to smear the best president we’ve ever had! If you doubt that, honestly compare four years of Trump to 14 months of biden and tell the truth about which way our nation headed underneath each…or you can just keep lying to yourself! They will not stop until they’ve destroyed America or America destroys them! Pick your side!
While Biden continues to throw money and peace offers at Iran, our real allies and friends are going it alone to create a lasting peace in the Middle East. Iran is an implacable enemy of every country at this Summit. Sadly the Biden Administration is blinded by Obama’s ridiculous policy of providing everything that Iran wants without getting anything in return.
Stinkin Blinkin is just clone of Biden. Even the birds “bombed” Biden yesterday in Iowa–and that was not marshmallows on the BigGuy’s suit!!
Not mentioned with any clarity on this story is the Russian/Iran partnership with respect to Russian oil shipped to Iran & resold back to America as Iranian oil if Iran gets the sanctions relief it so desires from the Biden administration…It should come as no surprise why Biden’s phone calls were left unanswered with respect to the Abraham Accord Middle East nations & why SOS Blinken was on the defensive from the get go after canceling this meeting twice…Blinken was there only because of the fix the Biden administration finds itself in, furthermore if it was not for the President Donald J. Trump Abraham Accords themselves, the Biden administration would NEVER have been invited to attend in the first place…
This is what happens when a president leads from behind, when he has absolutely no idea how international diplomacy works as they find themselves in a very tight spot, i.e. the release of ( 1 ) MILLION gals. of oil per day for the next ( 6 ) months from the U.S. strategic oil reserves… Rigged, i.e. stolen elections have consequences & all of us here in America are being forced to live it, day in, day out…
Oh, how I miss President Donald J. Trump, he truly was the only grown up in the room & the Middle East Abraham Accords clearly points this out, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco know this only to well…
America First, MAGA…
Bill… :~)
At the rate the Biden administration is alienating our Middle Eastern allies and emboldening and impowering our Middle Eastern enemies, I fully expect that aside from Israel, the rest of the Middle East will be completely aligned with China by 2024. The United States will be reduced to a nation with little to no influence in the Middle East. The same will be said for much of western Europe, South America and Africa. Which will leave Biden more time to enjoy his ice cream cones and long walks with Jill and his dog at his beach house. Elections have consequences.
The Middle East leaders know what Toilet Putin is trying to do, and they realize that his goals are NOT in their best interest to support. Putin is leaning towards trying to become the World’s second coming of the Devil Adolph Hitler. Iran is possibly an out-lying exception to some extent (Iran still has its dander up about not being able to manipulate Trump like they did Obummer.
President Donald JOHN TRUMP did more for our foreign relations than probably any other president in our history. Who would have ever believed that the vial distain that Israel and the Arab nation have always had for each other could ever be eased, well TRUMP did just that and more, probably the smoothest and we’ll versed foreign relations negotiator we ever had (and the compromised leftist media and press did everything and anything to destroy his accomplishments ) . We’ll look what we now have in our highest and most powerful position in the world??. If I didn’t know any better I would swear this is a nightmare and when I wake up none of this could possibly happen! I literally cannot believe that this demented and totally INSTALLED FRAUD is still even allowed to do the diabolical and sabotaging political moves he’s been directed to follow through with. Oh and it’s now a given that Israel will use nuclear weapons before they are destroyed! Thank you FJB
Excellent article everybody should read.
Reading between the lines is most important.
With DICTATOR Beijing biden so eager to support TERRORIST Iran including giving them $Billions of dollars in his first year in office and bowing down to Communist China who Iran is buddying up with is a recipe for Iran to launch Nuclear Weapons at the United States.
Bottom line: DICTATOR Beijing biden is setting up the UNITED STATES of AMERICA for ANNIHILATION.
Not just our Energy, Food, Jobs, and Country. But our FREEDOM and LIVES.
Just look at ALL THE TERRORIST THAT DICTATOR Beijing biden is LETTING IN AT OUR BORDERS.
Hint: INVASION. AT DICTATOR Beijing biden’s blessing. ALL PAID FOR WITH YOUR MONEY.
Excellent piece, except for the references to our allies as “erstwhile” and “nominal.” They ARE our allies. The United States’ enemy is the Biden Administration.
You know that Jackass Joe is delusional because he doesn’t seem to care that he will go down in American history as the WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!
Trump is the man. I believe that over time he will go down in the history books as another Washington type, a lover of freedom, a believer in America and the American people.
Biden and his Administration jackals are traitors to the USA.
with no National Republican protests America will slowly sink into the abyss on no return.
Complacency by the masses is the result of our demise.
There is no comparison between the two. Biden gets an “F”, Trump gets an “A”. Simple as that. Biden has screwed every thing up so badly, it will take years for recovery and implementation of what is best for “we the people”, and not what the elites want to put in their bank accounts.
Republicans lose elections when they STOP doing what they promised to get elected.
Democrats lose elections when DO what they promised to get elected.
Not surprise for when President Trump was in control, negotiate for peace.
To quote Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, Surprise, SURPRISE!”
Bliken deserves it.
Democrats a party of destruction. When was the last time you heard the words God, Family or Patriotism from this admin.? The fish stinks from the head.
NO admin. could be this incompetent creating one crisis after another, if not by design.
The liberals, democrats, progressives ideas and beliefs live in 1935. They are fighting the social battles that are long since over. The result is exactly what we see. this massive over correction without any understanding of the consequences and no long term of systematic thinking.
We have had a racist anti white people law for 65 years which gives minorities and unfair advantage over whites yet minorities are more convinced then ever that their are oppressed.
What we need is to erase all special benefits to everyone. everything equal. Then make it so that you must have id that proves you are a citizen to vote.
If you think you have been oppressed or discriminated against prove it in court.
Democrats are a blight.
Lets go Brandon.
Covid is a walk in the park compared to the true disease killing America, the democrat party! There is no JFK democrat party anymore in this country except for the fools who believed the lies their own “leaders” created to smear the best president we’ve ever had! If you doubt that, honestly compare four years of Trump to 14 months of biden and tell the truth about which way our nation headed underneath each…or you can just keep lying to yourself! They will not stop until they’ve destroyed America or America destroys them! Pick your side!
While Biden continues to throw money and peace offers at Iran, our real allies and friends are going it alone to create a lasting peace in the Middle East. Iran is an implacable enemy of every country at this Summit. Sadly the Biden Administration is blinded by Obama’s ridiculous policy of providing everything that Iran wants without getting anything in return.
Stinkin Blinkin is just clone of Biden. Even the birds “bombed” Biden yesterday in Iowa–and that was not marshmallows on the BigGuy’s suit!!