Tikvah
Editors’ Pick

December 7, 2021

After Nearly a Decade of Ostracization, Arab States Are Making Their Peace with Bashar al-Assad

Almost as surprising as the UAE and Bahrain making peace with Israel.

On Monday, the United Arab Emirates’ national-security adviser visited Tehran, in an apparent attempt to smooth over relations with a country it generally sees as a threat. But three years ago, the UAE took what might be considered a step in this direction by reestablishing diplomatic ties with Bashar al-Assad’s Syria, which is Iran’s closest ally. The Arab league had expelled Syria in 2011 after Assad launched a bloody war against his own people. And the Emiratis are not the only ones interested in reconciliation. Amotz Asa-El explains what has changed:

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