Lord David Trimble, one of two Nobel Peace Prize winners for the Good Friday Agreement in Ireland, has nominated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates for the 2021 award.
In his nomination, the Ulster Unionist – who shared the 1998 award with SDLP leader John Hume – drew a historical comparison between his own peace accord and those struck between the UAE, Israel and other nations this summer, hailing them as “historic achievements in advancing peace in the Middle East.”
He wrote: “These far-reaching achievements are the result of the courageous leadership, diplomatic energies and relentless pursuit of peace by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Crown Prince bin Zayed.
“There is every likelihood that the work of these two leaders, which continues, will encourage further Middle Eastern states to join them in normalising relations, leading to much needed prosperity and peace for peoples across the region.”
Despite resistance from Palestinian leadership, Lord Trimble claimed the peace aggreements – dubbed the “Abraham Accords” – stood the “the best possible chance to encourage the Palestinian people to reach a lasting accommodation with the State of Israel.
“I know from my own experience how dangerous, damaging and corrosive are decades of violent ill-will between close neighbours and I wish for nothing more than to see peace between Israelis and Palestinians.”
Lord Trimble also noted outgoing US president Donald Trump’s role in fostering the deals, but added that Mr Trump had already been nominated separately.
Mr Netanyahu has also been nominated separately by Paolo Grimoldi, a member of Italy’s parliament from the anti-migrant League party.
Lord Trimble also mentioned former Middle East leaders Egyptian president Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat and Israeli prime ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin, who were “assassinated as a result of their work for peace.” Mr Rabin won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the Oslo Accords.
