US house passes bill to establish special envoy for advancing Abraham Accords
The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill to create special envoy for the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements signed between Israel and some Arab countries. The bill passed 413-13 in a Tuesday evening vote.
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According to the legislation: "The Special Envoy shall seek to expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords, in coordination with regional ambassadors, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders determined appropriate by the Special Envoy."
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L-R: Bahrain FM Abdullatif al-Zayani, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Emirati FM Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House
(Photo: AFP)
The special envoy will "serve as the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts across, the United States Government relating to expanding and strengthening the Abraham Accords, engage in discussions with nation-state officials lacking official diplomatic relations with Israel regarding the Abraham Accords; and consult with representatives of nongovernmental organizations that have attempted to expand and strengthen the Abraham Accords,” according to the legislation.
The man or woman appointed to the position "should be a person of recognized distinction in the field high-level diplomatic experience, and or knowledge of the Islamic and Jewish worlds, knowledge of economics, security, and human rights."
The envoy, who is a State Department appointee, will serve at the ambassador level, and therefore will require confirmation by the Senate.
The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-NY, and Republican Rep. Michael Lawler, R-NY.
The Senate must also pass the bill for it to become law.
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an address to the 2023 American Israel public affairs committee policy summit in Washington, DC, that the Biden Administration would establish a new position to encourage the expansion of the Abraham Accords.
“We will soon create a new position to further our diplomacy and engagement with governments and private sector, non-governmental organizations, all working toward a more peaceful and a more connected region,” he said. “We’ve already achieved historic progress to deepen and broaden the Abraham Accords, building on the work of the Trump administration.”
The Abraham Accords was a signature foreign policy achievement of the Trump administration, and one of the few Trump policies embraced by Biden.
Biden has already decided to chose former ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro for the role, Axios reported last month. Shapiro is already leading an Abraham Accords expansion initiative at the influential Atlantic Council think tank.
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Two women take a break near the US Capitol during a rally on "No Fear: a Rally in Solidarity With the Jewish People" on the National Mall in Washington, DC on July 11, 2021
(Photo: AFP)
The bill was welcomed by civil society stakeholders and organizations alike, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) which stated on Twitter that, “This initiative will help expand the accords and advance peace between Israelis and Arabs.”
Lawler on the passing of the bill said: “The Abraham Accords not only guarantee Israel’s recognition by its neighbors, but also present the hope of continued progress toward peace and prosperity across the region.”
Torres said in a statement: “Today, we’re bending the long arc of the Middle East where it belongs: toward peace and prosperity for Jews, Christians, and Muslims as one.”
First published: 09:33, 06.14.23