CPC Hails Passage of a U.S. Law in Defense of Arab Civil Peacemakers

Today in Washington, President Biden signed into law an historic step toward defending Arab civil peacemakers from Rejectionist violence. As part of the newly adopted “Israel Relations Normalization Act,” which passed the Senate and House by overwhelming majorities, the Secretary of State is now required to report annually on instances of Arab government retribution for civilians who call for peace with Israel and its people or encounter Israeli citizens. The report mandates a review of the region’s draconian “anti-normalization laws,” which features punishments up to execution for human contact as slight as a social media exchange. It also surveys progress made by several Arab powers toward advancing peace between peoples.

CPC is proud to have supported the process that fostered this important law, from its beginnings as a bill co-sponsored by Senators Cory Booker and Rob Portman in 2020. The legal text cites as precedent a proposal to the French parliament by the Arab Council for Regional Integration, a CPC-sponsored body, to extend protections to Arab civilians who face repercussions for advocating peace. 

Upon the bill’s passage, Senator Booker observed, “Expanding the Abraham Accords to strengthen the relationship between Israel and its neighbors is crucial for securing peace and promoting economic prosperity in the region, which are both vital to our national security interest … This bipartisan bill leverages American diplomacy to help the Abraham Accords reach their full potential while reaffirming U.S. policy to support a two state solution.”

“I am pleased the FY 2022 bipartisan funding agreement includes this important legislation,” added Senator Portman. “This bill enshrine[s] the longstanding U.S. goal of encouraging states in the Middle East to revoke anti-normalization laws [and] sends an important signal of unity and solidarity to the international community at a time when such a signal is needed.”