Hussam Al-Dajani

Why don’t nations and peoples normalize relations with Israel…?
This is a question posed by many elites and governments around the world. They cite historical precedents where countries that pursued peace reaped coexistence, stability, prosperity, and security.

But does this apply to the Israeli occupation state?
The answer to this question rests on three indicators:
    1.    Is Israel a “normal” state, even if it was recognized by the United Nations?
    2.    What is the religious basis that underpins Israeli governance and politics?
    3.    What is the historical context of Israel’s peace and normalization efforts with surrounding countries?

First: Israel in the Perspective of International Law

The international community recognized Israel through the United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 273, issued on May 11, 1949. This resolution granted Israel membership in the UN on the condition that it comply with UN Resolutions 181 and 194.

However, despite the passage of decades, Israel has yet to fulfill these conditions. Instead, recognition of Israel continued, marking the beginning of a problematic relationship between the Israeli occupation and international law. Israel has consistently disregarded international legitimacy and refused to comply with appeals from nations and peace-loving peoples. It placed itself in confrontation with the world, relying on the double standards practiced by the West—especially the United States—which offers it limitless protection and support while exerting pressure on the victim, the Palestinian people, the rightful owners of the land, history, and narrative.

This confirms that Israel is not a normal or accepted state. It defies international law and resolutions and is responsible for the largest massacre in modern history against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank. It continues to occupy parts of Syria and Lebanon and frequently bombs other Arab and Islamic countries.

Second: Arabs in the Ideological View of the Israeli Religious Establishment

The ruling coalition in Israel currently represents 57% of the Knesset members and belongs to the religious Zionist current. At the heart of their distorted beliefs is the call to kill non-Jews—referred to as goyim (gentiles). As found in the Talmud: “Kill the righteous among the gentiles.”

This ideology is promoted by Israeli rabbis, whether through intellectual indoctrination of the Israeli military establishment or political socialization of Israeli children. Hatred of Arabs, incitement to kill, annihilate, and expel them is a core characteristic of the Zionist entity. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a direct reflection of this ideology.

There is no doubt that Israel uses peace and normalization solely as tools to politically reshape the Middle East to secure its dominance and leadership in the region.

Third: The Historical Context of Normalization Between Israel and the Arab World

Israel has signed numerous peace agreements with Arab countries:
    •    Camp David Agreement with Egypt in 1978
    •    Oslo Accords with the PLO in 1993
    •    Wadi Araba Treaty with Jordan in 1994

Despite these agreements, peace with these three parties has failed to bring about real coexistence, stability, or prosperity. Israel has since renounced the Oslo Accords, violated the Camp David agreement by occupying the Philadelphi Route, and failed to deliver any genuine benefits through the peace treaty with Jordan. In fact, it conspires against Jordan’s custodianship over Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.

Later, under U.S. sponsorship, Israel normalized ties with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan in 2020—an effort dubbed the “Abraham Accords.” Five years on, Arabs have seen no improvement. On the contrary, Israel has carried out a genocide, killing over 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza, continued its occupation of southern Syria, repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the ceasefire, and struck Yemen.

Simply put, Israel has gained far more from peace and normalization than the Arab states have.

Normalization with the Israeli occupation state, amid ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people and Israel’s refusal to implement international resolutions—especially those requiring withdrawal from occupied territories and the return of Palestinian refugees—is a political absurdity. It is incompatible with the resolutions of Arab summits, particularly the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which clearly states: no normalization with Israel before ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.