Israel, UAE, and Egypt Leaders Summit Discusses 'Iran Nuclear Deal and Food Crisis'

From the left, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt, Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel
Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The leaders of Egypt, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) held a summit in Sharm El Sheikh, a resort on the Red Sea, Bloomberg News reported on the 22nd (local time).

The news agency described the historic summit of the three U.S. allies in the Middle East as taking place amid geopolitical upheaval, with war erupting between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and expectations of the imminent restoration of the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in the Middle East.

A UAE official said that in the absence of U.S. leadership in the Middle East, the U.S. allies in the region are showing signs of organizing themselves. The official explained that Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi expressed concerns about food security, while Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and UAE’s de facto ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, focused on discussions about restoring the Iran nuclear negotiations.

Egypt is the world’s largest wheat importer, relying on Russia and Ukraine for 80% of its wheat imports. The war between Russia and Ukraine threatens food security and could trigger social unrest. When the Hosni Mubarak dictatorship was overthrown in 2011, the protesters’ slogan was “bread, freedom, social justice.” Egypt has recently begun talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to prepare for the possibility of the Russia-Ukraine war severely impacting its economy.

Israel and the UAE have expressed the position that if the Iran nuclear deal is restored, a security strategy with the U.S. is necessary, including strengthening missile defense systems and intelligence sharing.

Israel and the UAE oppose the restoration of the Iran nuclear deal, citing concerns over ballistic missiles from the Islamic State (IS), support for Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The UAE has recently become a target of attacks by the Houthi rebels along with Saudi Arabia. On the 21st, Saudi Arabia urged Western allies to help prevent attacks by the Houthi rebels to avoid disruptions in oil supply.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.