Consider the following statements :
1. Statement-I : Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States.
2. 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
D
Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Correct Answer: Option C
Explanation
1. Statement-I: Israel has indeed established diplomatic relations with several Arab States over the years. This includes Egypt (1979), Jordan (1994), and more recently, through the Abraham Accords (2020), the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. Therefore, Statement-I is correct.
2. Statement-II: The 'Arab Peace Initiative', proposed by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Arab League in 2002, offered normalized relations with Israel in return for specific conditions (withdrawal from occupied territories, etc.). However, this initiative was a proposal *by* the Arab League to Israel; it was never formally accepted or signed by Israel. Therefore, Statement-II is incorrect.
3. Since Statement-I is correct and Statement-II is incorrect, option (C) is the correct choice.