Mat Staver attending the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House on September 15, 2020.

Tuesday, September 15, 2020, was a truly historic day, not only for the Middle East, but for the world. By the grace of God, Christians In Defense of Israel was blessed to be in the audience, at the personal invitation of President Donald Trump, as the Abraham Accords were signed.

The first accord reached between the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on August 13, 2020, is an unprecedented and courageous step toward a more stable, integrated and prosperous Middle East. As a result, the UAE formally abolished its 40-year boycott law, thereby allowing its companies and individuals to trade directly with Israel.

And your prayers helped make it happen!

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Israeli and Emirati ministers have already initiated their official discussions of cooperation in seven key areas: investment, finance, health, the civilian space program, civil aviation, foreign policy and diplomatic affairs and tourism and culture. The result will be broad cooperation between two of the region’s most innovative and dynamic economies.

In fact, on August 31, an Israeli passenger plane flew to the Emirati capital carrying White House and Israeli officials. This was the first time an Israeli plane was given permission to fly through Saudi Arabian airspace.

President Trump said, “Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates’ lead.”

Then on Friday, September 11, President Trump brokered a deal to establish full diplomatic relations between Bahrain and Israel. The agreement makes Bahrain the fourth Arab country, after Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE, to have full diplomatic ties with Israel. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are the first Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel in more than 25 years.

Israel and Bahrain have committed to begin the exchange of embassies and ambassadors, start direct flights between their countries and launch cooperation initiatives across a broad range of sectors. It further enhances their security while creating opportunities for the parties to deepen their economic ties.

President Trump noted the timing of the deal, coming on the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks: “There’s no more powerful response to the hatred that spawned 9/11 than this agreement. The sand was loaded up with blood, and now you’ll see a lot of that sand will be loaded up with peace.”

During his speech from the White House portico, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that this historic peace deal has been signed just in time for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which will be observed this Saturday. And with a new year comes a new hope to end the Arab Israeli conflict once and for all, bringing not only peace between leaders, but their respective people.

Mr. Netanyahu went on to cite Psalm 29:11: "May the Lord give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!"

And if this new peace deal was not enough, President Trump also recently oversaw the signing of an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo that normalized economic relations between those two countries. That arrangement also included Kosovo recognizing Israel, and Serbia agreeing to move its embassy to Jerusalem -- as the U.S. did in 2017.

We are grateful for President Trump’s wise foreign policy strategy that makes today a historic breakthrough for peace between Israel and its neighbors. When he took office, the Middle East had been in a state of extreme turmoil for years. Now more Arab and Muslim countries will likely seek to normalize relations with Israel which will bring peace and prosperity to the region and the people who live there.

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The Abraham Accords are meant to bring peace to ALL of Abraham’s descendants — but some don’t want peace among brothers or tribes.

Even as “peace” was spoken and signed between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE; the Palestinian Authority did what it usually does – bombed Israel. As the speeches concluded and the parties moved to sign the agreements, rockets rained down on the Israeli towns of Ashkelon and Ashdod.

The Palestinian’s actions prove once again that they have no intentions of peace, and therefore a two-state solution in Israel will never work because the Palestinians don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist. Time and again, the Palestinians have proven in word and deed that their only intention is to wipe Israel completely off the world map.

Peace, as President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu well know, requires great vigilance. That’s why we will continue to press for Israel’s right to govern all the land God gave them as an inheritance.

But for now, HOPE has triumphed, and we celebrate today’s historic events regardless of the reactions of hateful terrorists!

Christians in Defense of Israel will continue defending the nation of Israel, and I am greatly blessed by the fact that you have chosen to stand with us in our mission! Thank you for faithfully supporting CIDI and thank you for continuing to stand firm for Israel!

If you feel led to celebrate this great breakthrough with an offering, please consider making a special gift to Christians in Defense of Israel today. Simply select here.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s choice of Scripture in the ceremony bears repeating: “May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!” Psalm 29:11

Mat Staver
Chairman

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