Read on Twitter
Some observations about popular discussion of the UAE-Israel agreement in the Gulf.
First, if you measure by battle of hashtags, the agreement would appear to be unpopular. The hashtag "Normalization is Treason" has been trending across the Gulf (Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain).
First, if you measure by battle of hashtags, the agreement would appear to be unpopular. The hashtag "Normalization is Treason" has been trending across the Gulf (Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain).
Hashtags have also been established in reaction to expressed support from other Gulf states.
e.g. the hashtag "Omanis against normalization" appeared after the Omani MOFA welcomed the UAE-Israel bilateral agreement
https://twitter.com/Turki_albalushi/status/1294200387789033472a
e.g. the hashtag "Omanis against normalization" appeared after the Omani MOFA welcomed the UAE-Israel bilateral agreement
https://twitter.com/Turki_albalushi/status/1294200387789033472a
Kuwait parliamentarians and civil society have come out strongly against the agreement. This even includes Kuwaitis known to be supportive of Emirati policies. But no formal word yet from parliament nor ministry of foreign affairs. https://twitter.com/KUWAITILAWYER63/status/1294013773360107522?s=20
Interesting disjuncture in rxn of Bahrain's parliament & political societies. Head of the parliament praised the UAE's diplomatic achievement as did the head of its committee for the defense of the Palestinian people
https://twitter.com/BhParliament/status/1294241882739027974?s=20 https://twitter.com/manamavoice1/status/1294199034547179520
https://twitter.com/BhParliament/status/1294241882739027974?s=20 https://twitter.com/manamavoice1/status/1294199034547179520
However Bahrain's political societies - leftists, Islamists - issued a joint statement rejecting all normalization with Israel and explicitly demanding that the Bahrain government reject these attempts and align itself w/the popular position:
http://www.altaqadomi.org/?p=9181
http://www.altaqadomi.org/?p=9181
There are efforts to generate support for the agreement using religious arguments such as this from a Saudi religious scholar: https://twitter.com/D_ghaith/status/1293939984915890178?s=20
Emirati Twitter seems quite positive, even enthusiastic, albeit at times a bit defensive. https://twitter.com/HSajwanization/status/1294164109840257024
