He may have a nasty character, he may call some countries “shitholes”, he may be vulgar with women… but let’s admit it: Today, he succeeded in making history in the Middle East

https://apnews.com/7544b322a254ebea1693e387d83d9d8b

As mentioned in the article above, Israel and two Arab countries, UAE and Bahrein, signed “historic diplomatic pacts”.

Even if the media is usually mostly biased against Mr. Trump, always making fun of him (there is material, one must say…), President Trump did something good for humanity today: PEACE.

Some may say ok but the timing is meant to help making him good before elections. Well, bravo for his administration for being smart enough to arrange the timing of the announcement now, to work to his advantage.

Some write: Well, the UAE already had ties with Israel but secretly. Well, this relationship is now out of the closet. It takes much courage to do so in the Middle East… A HUGE taboo has been broken today (as everyone usually hates Israel).

Those deals will change the course of history at so many levels. Bambi can think of research collaborations that could benefit generations of trainees across sectors. We can think of business deals that would generate prosperity to all the countries involved. On the security front, it may help coordination among them, for sure. It will perhaps impress Iran enough to stop its destructive influence in the region. Who knows, one day, Iran may be invited to make peace with the United States. Hopefully, all this will translate on the ground with better days for all the innocent populations in Iran itself, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf countries, Irak, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and in Israel.

Bambi is writing all this, without forgetting the injustice triggered by the creation of the State of Israel, to the poor Palestinians… and, by extension, to all of us in the Arab world. especially the neighbouring Lebanon in which the original conflict has spilled over. This being said, we are in a new era now, time for peace. Time to move forward in life. 

The reality is that the Palestinians also have corruption like Lebanese politicians. They also have an Islamist party that is being instrumentalized by Iran (just like in Lebanon). The leader of this party, called Hamas, went to Beirut recently to meet with Mr. Nasrallah (Hezbollah). He also met with folks in the Palestinian camps.

Whether Israel or Palestine (or Hezbollah or Iran), all these entities have often given Bambi the impression of validating their own existence with the hate of the other entity. They cannot exist without hating the other, in other terms. Well, today, we can perhaps allow ourselves to dream peace, even if it will not be comprehensive and as just as we would have liked it to be at one point in time (land for peace… now it is peace for prosperity).

Can we just call it peace for the sake of peace? As human beings, we have the right to live in a peaceful country. We have the right to be able to say: Enough of wars, enough of hate, no?  

It is Bambi’s hope that Palestine will stop boycotting the Trump administration and will consider direct negotiations of peace with Israel. The latter must show respect to the Palestinians by stopping any new colonization and surely annexation (the latter seems to be the case now, bravo).

Who knows? One day, we may see the two states of Israel and Palestine living in peace next to each other. Bambi would love (have loved?) to see Jerusalem as the capital of both states. Not from a religious perspective. She does not care about that, despite the faith in her heart. It is more from a citizen’s rights perspective. Period.

One day, Bambi’s nephews and nieces will hopefully live long enough to see a sovereign and prosperous Lebanon living in peace with all its neighbours, namely both Syria and Israel, while being in peace with both Iran and all the Arab countries. Of course, also having enriching diplomatic relations with all the European countries, the USA, and with all the countries of the world (including China). In Lebanon, they call this concept, “positive neutrality”. Only the latter can guarantee safety to tiny yet beautiful Lebanon.

To conclude this post, it takes much courage to extend your hand to your former enemy. Bravo for doing it for the sake of the children of “Abraham” (as per the name of the peace deals)… and the children who are not related to Abraham.

As we say in Arabic and in Hebrew: Mabrouk & Mazal Tov.