Dozens of American college students visited Israel and the United Arab Emirates over the winter break, the place they witnessed first-hand the successes of the historic Abraham Accords amid ongoing campus tensions at dwelling because the warfare in Israel continues.
Forty-three undergraduate college students from throughout the nation participated in a 10-day journey to Israel and the UAE over the winter semester break by the Israel on Campus Coalition’s Geller International Fellowship, Fox News Digital realized. The college students met with enterprise leaders, teachers and political leaders to debate and expertise Middle East tradition, in addition to see first-hand the significance of the Abraham Accords, which have been brokered beneath President-elect Donald Trump’s first administration in 2020.
“Witnessing the successes of the Abraham Accords first hand with a bunch of faculty college students who’re obsessed with peace and coexistence, in an period the place dialogue on American school campuses like my very own is sparse, has been a poignant and important reminder of what the way forward for the Middle East can maintain,” Columbia University senior learning the Middle East, Eden Yadegar mentioned in remark to Fox News Digital.
“Peace, safety, and coexistence are usually not distant beliefs, however a actuality on the bottom due to the United States, Israel, and the UAE. The way forward for the Middle East is right here and it’s vivid, and I’m extremely grateful to the Israel on Campus Coalition for offering me with the chance to interact in these crucial conversations and experiences.”
The Abraham Accords are a historic peace settlement brokered by the U.S. in 2020 between Israel and the UAE. As a part of the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain acknowledged Israel’s sovereignty and established full diplomatic relations. It marked the primary time Israel had established peace with an Arab nation since 1994 with the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
“This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace within the Middle East area and is a testomony to the daring diplomacy and imaginative and prescient of the three leaders and the braveness of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a brand new path that can unlock the nice potential within the area,” Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed mentioned in a joint assertion on the time. “All three international locations face many frequent challenges and can mutually profit from immediately’s historic achievement.”
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Students who participated within the fellowship met with consultants resembling Israeli politician and diplomat Ruth Wasserman Lande and Middle East knowledgeable and lecturer Dan Feferman to debate entrepreneurship and coexistence within the Middle East following the peace deal, in addition to consultants such because the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ senior fellow Jonathan Conricus and Saudi YouTuber Loay Alsharef to debate diplomacy and peacebuilding beneath the accords.
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“The Geller International Fellowship highlights the promise of the following era of pro-Israel leaders and their potential to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and advance the ideas of the Abraham Accords,” Israel on Campus Coalition CEO Jacob Baime informed Fox News Digital. “Thanks to the generosity of Martin and Lauren Geller, this program gives college students with a deeper understanding of Israel’s complexities and a basis for knowledgeable advocacy. These fellows return to campus with a renewed sense of function and a dedication to sharing their experiences. This fellowship displays ICC’s ongoing work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and develop new leaders.”
The Israel on Campus Coalition is a U.S.-based group that works to inspire American college students and pro-Israel school teams to “see Israel as a supply of delight and empower them to face up for Israel on campus.”
University of Southern California senior learning public coverage, Aidan Bloomstine, mentioned in a remark to Fox Digital that the journey was “the chance of a lifetime” that reignited his optimism “that in the future this area will reside in peace and prosperity.”
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“Those foundational ideas have been completely displayed on this journey. Hearing the successes of the diplomatic and financial cooperation firsthand from Emiratis and Israelis reveals us a well-paved path for peace in different areas of the area,” the ICC fellow continued.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business senior Sam Heller echoed Bloomstine that the fellowship and journey overseas was “one of the transformative experiences,” especially after war broke out in Israel in 2023, which quickly led to anti-semitism on U.S. school campuses and repeated anti-Israel protests.
“Being surrounded by like-minded campus leaders, all deeply dedicated to making sure that reality prevails in these difficult occasions because the 10/7 Hamas bloodbath, has been each inspiring and reassuring. It has given me confidence that the following era of leaders in our nation will proceed to champion Western values and steadfastly help America’s closest ally, Israel. I’m extremely grateful to ICC for the chance to interact consultants on the Israel-Palestine battle and professionals devoted to advancing peace in the Middle East. I eagerly anticipate watching this exceptional cohort of younger leaders evolve into the coverage,” Heller mentioned.
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Agitators and scholar protesters flooded school campuses nationwide final faculty 12 months to protest the warfare in Israel, which additionally included spiking instances of antisemitism and Jewish college students publicly talking out that they didn’t really feel secure on some campuses.
Protesters on Columbia University’s campus in New York City, for instance, took over the college’s Hamilton Hall constructing, whereas faculties resembling UCLA, Harvard and Yale labored to clear spiraling scholar encampments the place protesters demanded their elite faculties fully divest from Israel.
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Terrorist group Hamas launched a warfare in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which initially fanned the flames of antisemitism on campuses within the type of protests, menacing graffiti and college students reporting that they felt as if it was “open season for Jews on our campuses.” The protests heightened to the purpose Jewish college students at some faculties, together with Columbia, have been warned to go away campus for their very own security.
On Penn’s campus, Fox News Digital solely reported in May that anti-Israel radicals have been passing round a number of guides directing agitators on tips on how to break into buildings, “escalate” protests, create weapons and even administer first assist.
The sponsors of this system, Martin and Lauren Geller, highlighted in feedback to Fox Digital that the fellowship bolsters the following era to strengthen the ideas outlined within the Abraham Accords.
“The Geller International Fellowship is greater than a program—it’s an academic funding within the subsequent era of leaders dedicated to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and the ideas of the Abraham Accords. We are honored to accomplice with Israel on Campus Coalition, whose distinctive management ensures that college students acquire a transformative understanding of Israel’s heritage, innovation, and resilience and to arrange these gifted people to be leaders within the pro-Israel motion on campus in addition to of their communities. Supporting this fellowship is a privilege, and we’re impressed by the affect these college students can have as advocates for Israel on campuses and past,” the couple mentioned. Martin Geller is the founder and chairman of wealth administration agency Geller & Company.
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Ahead of Trump’s election win over Vice President Kamala Harris final 12 months, the previous and upcoming president mentioned on the marketing campaign path to broaden the Abraham Accords if re-elected. Trump is about to be inaugurated because the nation’s forty seventh president on Jan. 20.
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“If I win, that will probably be an absolute precedence: simply getting everyone in. It’s peace within the Middle East. We want it, and it’s essential. It will occur,” Trump mentioned of the Abraham Accords throughout an interview with Saudi outlet Al Arabiya in October.