A solemn ceremony was held on Tuesday in the Belgian Parliament to mark the second anniversary of the signing of the Abraham Accords. Ambassadors of the signatory countries were present along with dozens of distinguished guests. The event was organized by the Belgian Member of Parliament Michael Freilich and the Senator Karl Vanlow
On September 15, 2020, the Abraham Accords between Israel and various Arab nations were signed on the lawn of the White House in Washington, DC.
The agreements heralded a new era of friendship, trade and cooperation in the Middle East, unlike anything seen before. Member of Parliament Michael Freilich, who organized the festive event, said at the event: “The Abraham Accords marked a turning point in the Middle East, it not only heralded true peace between Israel and various Arab countries, but also gave impetus to positive relations between Jews and Muslims around the world. I hope that Europe and Belgium will take part in promoting These agreements are a way to strengthen the fight against racism and anti-Semitism and towards greater mutual understanding and tolerance abroad and at home in the European Union.”
Member of Parliament Michael Freilich
Israel was represented by the deputy head of the delegation, Hadassah Eisenströk: “The virtue of peace brings many blessings, to date many agreements have been made on economic and scientific cooperation between the parties, direct flights between our countries have been launched, and the markets have been opened to mass tourism. Mutual trade has increased dramatically, illustrating The enormous economic potential of these agreements, it is our sincere hope that in the near future more countries, both in the Middle East and outside it, will follow suit and join the circle of peace.”
The US Ambassador to Belgium, Michael Adler, said: “The US is proud to have been a partner in bringing about the Abraham Accords in 2020. On this second anniversary, we were excited to be here together to celebrate the diplomatic successes, the friendships we forged and the exponential economic growth resulting from these agreements. As always, The US remains committed to being a partner in the normalization of relations between Israel and countries in the Muslim world.”
US Ambassador to Belgium
Morocco’s ambassador to Belgium, Mohamed Amour, said at the event: “The decision to restore diplomatic relations between our countries is part of a history of thousands of years of peaceful coexistence between Moroccans of the Jewish faith and their compatriots of the Muslim faith. This coexistence found its strongest illustration in the refusal of His Majesty the late King Mohammed V to hand over the Jews of Morocco to the Nazis during World War II. In recognition of this historic gesture, His Majesty the late King Mohammed V was recognized as a follower of the nations of the world at Yad Vashem.”
Ambassador of Morocco in Belgium
The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Belgium, Mohammed Al Sahlawi said: “The signing of the Abraham Accord Declaration in September 2020 marked a brave and important step towards achieving peace in the Middle East, and the United Arab Emirates will continue to support all efforts to improve stability and security for people throughout the region. It is important to celebrate important historical milestones such as signing The Abraham Agreement. I commend Mr. Freilich and his colleagues for organizing this event, and for doing a lot to promote inter-religious tolerance and bring together Belgians of all religions.”
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Belgium
Bahrain’s ambassador to Belgium, Abdullah Bin Faisal Al Dusri, said that his country sponsored the agreements, and that Bahrain has always been open to the Jewish people, and pointed to various synagogues that have existed in the kingdom for over 100 years. “The Abrahamic agreements promote a common life between nations and this will promote peace and prosperity.”
Ambassador of Bahrain to Belgium
Hungarian Ambassador to Belgium Dr. Tamas Ivan Kovacs said: “Hungary was the only country in the European Union that was represented during the signing of the Abraham Peace Accords by our Foreign Minister and we supported this historic agreement as it ended the hopelessness in the Middle East and brought the region to two Existence in peace and mutual respect. Therefore, we are grateful to the participating countries, and here personally to the member of parliament Michael Freilich for this important commemoration initiative.”
The closing remarks were made by Belgian Senator Carl Vanlow: “Not only do the agreements set the standard for peaceful cooperation, they also created fertile ground for closer trade relations and free trade agreements that foster economic growth and upward social mobility.”