Israel and UAE reach historic deal, with Donald Trump’s help
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Washington — Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached a historic deal on Thursday that will lead to a full normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern nations in an agreement that US President Donald Trump helped broker.
Under the agreement, Israel has agreed to suspend applying sovereignty to areas of the West Bank it has been discussing annexing, senior White House officials said.
The deal was the product of lengthy discussions between Israel, the UAE and the US that accelerated recently, White House officials said. The agreement was sealed in a phone call on Thursday between Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed.
“HUGE breakthrough today! Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
In the Oval Office, Trump said discussions between the two leaders had sometimes been tense. He said similar deals are being discussed with other countries in the region. A signing ceremony including delegations from Israel and the UAE will be held at the White House in the coming weeks, Trump added.
“Everybody said this would be impossible,” Trump said. “After 49 years, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will fully normalise their diplomatic relations. They exchange embassies and ambassadors and begin co-operation across the border.”
The US officials described the agreement, to be known as the Abraham Accords, as the first of its kind since Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994. It also gives Trump a foreign-policy success as he seeks re-election on November 3.
Netanyahu, in his first comment on the deal, said on Twitter that it is “a historic day for the state of Israel”. Abu Dhabi’s crown prince said on Twitter that an agreement had been reached and that it would halt further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories.
“During a call with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an agreement was reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories. The UAE and Israel also agreed to co-operation and setting a road map towards establishing a bilateral relationship,” he wrote.
White House officials said Trump senior adviser Jared Kushner, US ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz were deeply involved in negotiating the deal, as well as secretary of state Mike Pompeo and White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien.
A joint statement issued ...
Under the agreement, Israel has agreed to suspend applying sovereignty to areas of the West Bank it has been discussing annexing, senior White House officials said.
The deal was the product of lengthy discussions between Israel, the UAE and the US that accelerated recently, White House officials said. The agreement was sealed in a phone call on Thursday between Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed.
“HUGE breakthrough today! Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
In the Oval Office, Trump said discussions between the two leaders had sometimes been tense. He said similar deals are being discussed with other countries in the region. A signing ceremony including delegations from Israel and the UAE will be held at the White House in the coming weeks, Trump added.
“Everybody said this would be impossible,” Trump said. “After 49 years, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will fully normalise their diplomatic relations. They exchange embassies and ambassadors and begin co-operation across the border.”
The US officials described the agreement, to be known as the Abraham Accords, as the first of its kind since Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994. It also gives Trump a foreign-policy success as he seeks re-election on November 3.
Netanyahu, in his first comment on the deal, said on Twitter that it is “a historic day for the state of Israel”. Abu Dhabi’s crown prince said on Twitter that an agreement had been reached and that it would halt further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories.
“During a call with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an agreement was reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories. The UAE and Israel also agreed to co-operation and setting a road map towards establishing a bilateral relationship,” he wrote.
White House officials said Trump senior adviser Jared Kushner, US ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz were deeply involved in negotiating the deal, as well as secretary of state Mike Pompeo and White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien.
A joint statement issued ...
