The euphoria surrounding the Abraham Accords might be premature. That’s because left-wing Israeli lawmaker Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) reported that the historic normalization deal between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain contains a clause stipulating a freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria.
“I learned from official sources that there is an official agreement to freeze building in the territories in exchange for normalization [with Bahrain and UAE],” Horowitz told his Knesset faction on Monday.
He discussed the matter before the signing of the the Israel normalization deal with the UAE on Tuesday in Washington. The accords stipulated that the annexation of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria was suspended. A separate normalization deal with Bahrain will also be signed.
Settler leaders have sounded that alarm last month about an already existing de facto freeze, adding that no plans for construction in the region were approved or advanced since February.
“Tomorrow’s document will be signed in Washington between the prime minister and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the Emirates. Many will ask why these documents were not given to the Knesset for review or why a discussion was not held in the [Knesset] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee,” Horowitz quipped.
“Netanyahu is hiding these documents and agreements with Bahrain and the UAE because he has something to hide,” Horowitz said.
And although he admits that his left-wing party welcomed the normalization deals, he also objects to the alleged subterfuge.
