Newly-created US ambassadorial position serves Israhell

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Opinion & analysis by Miko Peled
https://mailchi.mp/mintpressnews/miko-peled-h-r-3099-service-of-israel-troubling-special-envoy-bill-and-its-ramifications?e=6b7de6a3f4

"H.R3099 was Introduced in the House of Representatives on May 5, 2023. This bill, known as the "Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act," is the latest act by the United States in the service of Israel.

This bill establishes the position of Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords within the Department of State. For anyone who does not remember, the Abraham Accords are agreements to normalize relations between Israel and Arab states that do not recognize Israel. It is an anti-Palestinian accord more than anything. It should be named "a bill to guarantee that governments who go against the wishes of their people and are willing to turn their backs to the plight of the Palestinian people will be rewarded."

The first four members of the Arab League to sign this accord were the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. The initial signing took place in the White House during the Trump administration, and it should be noted that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu were the only heads of state present. The other countries sent their foreign ministers, ostensibly so as not to be seen signing this disgraceful agreement. It is worth noting that there was extensive widespread opposition to normalizing relations with Israel in all countries that signed the accords.

A US AMBASSADOR IN THE SERVICE OF ISRAEL
According to the bill's text, the Special Envoy, who shall have the rank and status of ambassador, shall serve as the primary advisor to the U.S. government for expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords. The duties of the Special Envoy include:
• Encouraging countries without diplomatic relations with Israel to establish formal diplomatic, economic, security, and people-to-people ties;
• Expanding and strengthening existing relationships between Israel and Muslim-majority countries; and
• Coordinating efforts across the U.S. government and engaging diplomatically with foreign governments, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders to expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords.

The language in the bill demands that we ask why in the world is the U.S. government engaged in serving the interests of Israel so blatantly. Indeed, the U.S. will be selling arms to these countries, but a larger picture here is not being discussed, at least not enough. You have to hand it to Israel and even more to the Israeli lobby here in the U.S.: They got a superpower to work as Israel's sales agent and pay for it. American taxpayers will now be paying additional millions of dollars to solicit – or rather bully – countries who have not yet established relations with Israel to do so. Is this the best use of American taxpayer dollars? Does this serve Americans in any way? The answer to both questions is "No!"

IMPORTANT NEWS
Needless to say, this bill was reported by the Israel press as another step in advancing the good relations between Israel and the United States. The Times of Israel reported that "the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation mandating the Biden administration to appoint a special envoy for the Abraham Accords. The special envoy will encourage additional countries to follow the lead of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020."

If there was any doubt regarding the role the Anti-Palestinian, pro-apartheid lobby, AIPAC, played in passing this bill, Representative Ritchie Tores ensured it was set aside. In a tweet, Congressman 703748 thanked AIPAC for its role in passing the bill. He further said that the future belongs to peace and love, not BDS. In other words, the anti-Palestinian bill pushed down the throat of Americans by the Apartheid defending genocide supporting AIPAC will lead to a future of love and roses."




Biden administration names Dan Shapiro, former US envoy to Israel, to manage Abraham Accords   
https://www.jta.org/2023/06/29/politics/biden-administration-names-dan-shapiro-former-u-s-envoy-to-israel-to-manage-abraham-accords

Daniel Shapiro, formerly the U.S. ambassador to Israel, will be the Biden administration's point man in expanding and managing the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and four Arab countries.

Shapiro, the ambassador to Israel under the Obama administration, has been heading an Abraham Accords advancement effort at the Atlantic Council think tank.

"Dan will support U.S. efforts to advance a more peaceful and interconnected region, deepen and broaden the Abraham Accords, and build the Negev Forum," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday on Twitter.

The Trump administration brokered the Abraham Accords between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan in 2020, and the Biden administration committed to their expansion at the Negev Summit last year. The normalization agreements and the effort to expand them remain one of the few areas of agreement between the Biden and Trump administrations.

They also are one of the dwindling areas of agreements between the Biden and Netanyahu governments. Biden opposes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's court reform proposals, and is unhappy with increased Israeli-Palestinian tensions and with Netanyahu's plan to accelerate settlement building.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen welcomed the appointment. "I welcome the nomination of Ambassador Dan Shapiro as Senior Advisor for Regional Integration," he said on Twitter. "We will work together to expand the circle of peace and normalization and bring prosperity and stability to the region."

Netanyahu hopes to bring Saudi Arabia into the accords, and Blinken pressed the Saudis on the matter during a recent visit.

Shapiro had lived and studied in Israel before being named ambassador in 2011. He was well-liked in Jerusalem, even among right-wing ministers and lawmakers. His new position, senior adviser for regional integration, does not require Senate approval. There is a legislative effort underway in Congress to create an ambassador level position to advance the Abraham Accords.