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?
- (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Why the answer is (c)
• Statement-I is correct: Israel has diplomatic relations with Egypt (1979), Jordan (1994) and, under the 2020 Abraham Accords, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
• Statement-II is incorrect: the Arab Peace Initiative, proposed by Saudi Arabia and adopted by the Arab League in Beirut in 2002, offered normalisation in return for Israeli withdrawal to 1967 lines and a Palestinian state; Israel never signed or accepted it.
• Normalisation has instead proceeded bilaterally, outside the Initiative's framework.
• Hence Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect, option (c).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation…
- Statement-II is wrong: Israel did not sign the Arab Peace Initiative.
- (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct…
- Statement-II is wrong, so both cannot be correct.
- (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
- Statement-I is correct: Israel has ties with several Arab states.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.