UPSC Prelims 2023 · Question 54 of 97

UPSC Prelims 2023 question on Israel Arab Relations

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:
Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States.

Statement-II:
The 'Arab Peace Initiative' mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and Arab League.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
  2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
  3. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
  4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Show answer

Answer: C. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

Analysis

Hence option (c) — Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect — is the correct answer.

Statement by statement

Statement I – CORRECT: Till 2000s, the only two Arab countries Israel had signed peace treaties with are Egypt and Jordan, in 1979 and 1994 respectively. In 2020, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain were the latest countries in the Arab region to formally establish diplomatic ties with Israel through the Abraham Accords.

Statement II – INCORRECT: The Arab Peace Initiative was presented at an Arab League summit in Beirut in March of 2002 and was revived at an Arab League summit in Riyadh in March 2007. The plan offers Israel full peace and normalization in return for full withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel was in no position to seriously engage in a comprehensive peace settlement and did not sign it. In 2022, the Saudi leadership has made clear that it continues to adhere to the API as the mainstay of its approach to formalizing relations with Israel. Hence statement 2 is not correct — Israel did NOT sign the Arab Peace Initiative.

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