Israel/UAE free trade agreement might help Israeli relations with Indonesia

The Jerusalem Post reported this morning:

The free-trade agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is set to be signed by the end of March, Emirati Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja said in a Wednesday morning tweet.

Talks for establishing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) began last November between Economy Minister Orna Barbivai and her Emirati counterpart Abdulla bin Touq Al Mari.

CEPA will "serve as an accelerator for significant economic prosperity" between the two nations, the ambassador wrote.

The UAE has recently signed a similar agreement with India and is expected to sign one with Indonesia this month as well. 

Mohamed Al Khaja, the UAE's ambassador to Israel, tweeted, "After India and Indonesia, the #UAE and #Israel are looking forward to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement "CEPA" before the end of the month. The UAE remains confident that the CEPA with Israel will serve as a catalyst for even greater economic prosperity."

If the UAE has similar agreements with Israel and Indonesia - which Israel has no diplomatic relations with - that puts it into a position to be a go-between to facilitate trade between Israel and Indonesia, just as it probably already serves that function between Israel and Arab countries that do not have direct relations with Israel.

Israel and Indonesia have quiet trade and tourism relations that have been slowly but steadily growing over the years. The UAE will now be perfectly positioned to strengthen those ties. 

There has been some buzz about Indonesia joining the Abraham Accords earlier this year, and Indonesia has been downplaying that discussion.  Indonesia's Muslim population would oppose it. But we have already seen the public stance of Saudi Arabia changing towards Israel, and there is no reason why Indonesia couldn't plant the seeds in statements and op-eds by friendly supporters to get its citizens used to the idea. 

Or the relations could remain under the radar while still growing. 

The importance of the Abraham Accords was not just in bilateral relations between Israel and several Arab states. It was in changing the entire mindset about Israel in the larger Muslim world. Muslim-majority nations who want to survive into the second half of the century need to consider the benefits of partnering with an Israel which is eager to share technology and trade, as well as improve their relations with the US. The relationship between Israel and Gulf countries spawns entirely new possibilities with formerly hostile countries.

The Arab boycott is dead and buried. Muslim-majority nations can decide to join the UAE and Bahrain in increasing ties with Israel or to stay with the rejectionists of Algeria, Iran, Syria and Lebanon. For Muslim leaders who care about their own people, the choice is clear.

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