Question 24 from UPSC CSE 2023 - Internatio nal Relations

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. Statement-I: Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab states.
2. Statement-II: The 'Arab Peace Initiative' mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and the Arab League.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

Strategy: The strategy focuses on historical and diplomatic facts. Statement-I is substantiated by multiple peace agreements--Egypt (1979), Jordan (1994), and more recently UAE and Bahrain through the Abraham Accords (2020)--confirming Israel's diplomatic relations with several Arab states. For Statement-II, recall that the Arab Peace Initiative was a Saudi-mediated offer adopted by the Arab League, but Israel did not sign or formally agree to it; it was a collective Arab proposal, not a bilateral or multilateral agreement with Israel. Therefore, Statement-I is correct, and Statement-II is incorrect.

Key Info: ## Israel-Arab Diplomatic Relations
Israel established formal diplomatic relations with Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) through peace treaties. In 2020, the Abraham Accords led to normalization with the UAE and Bahrain, followed by Morocco and Sudan, further expanding Israel's formal ties in the Arab world. The Abraham Accords were facilitated by the United States and marked a major shift in Middle Eastern diplomacy.

## Arab Peace Initiative (API)
Proposed by Saudi Arabia in 2002 at the Beirut Arab League summit and reaffirmed in 2007, the API offered Israel normalization with all Arab countries in exchange for complete withdrawal from territories occupied since 1967 (including the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem), a 'just solution' for Palestinian refugees, and acceptance of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Initiative was unanimously endorsed by the Arab League but was never signed or accepted by Israel. Israel objected to several core provisions, especially regarding Palestinian refugees and withdrawal to 1967 borders. The API remains an important framework in Arab diplomatic policy but is not an agreement or treaty signed by Israel. Saudi Arabia continues to use the API as its diplomatic reference point for normalization with Israel.

## Arab League
The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and Arabia, founded in 1945 to promote political, economic, cultural, and social cooperation among its members. The Arab Peace Initiative was one of its key collective policy stances regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

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

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