Israel and The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are to establish diplomatic ties in a deal halting the planned annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians.
A joint statement by USA president, Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Mohammed Al Nahyan said they hope the “historic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East.”
As part of the deal, Israel will “suspend” plans to annex parts of the West Bank, according to a joint Israel-UAE-US statement that Trump tweeted.
The joint statement said delegations from Israel and the UAE will meet to sign bilateral agreements on “investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies and other areas of mutual benefit.”
The statement also said that the normalization of relations “will bring together two of America’s most reliable and capable regional partners” and the nations will join together with the US to launch a strategic agenda for the Middle East on diplomatic, trade and security cooperation.”
“This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential in the region,” the statement said.
In response to President Trump’s announcement, Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew: “Historic day.”
The UAE’s ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, said in a statement that it was “a win for diplomacy and for the region”.
“It is a significant advance in Arab-Israeli relations that lowers tensions and creates new energy for positive change.”
UAE foreign minister Anwar Gargash added that embassies in both countries would be opened soon, saying “this is for real” but admitted “nothing is perfect in a very difficult region”. He also called the deal “a bold step”.
“The UAE is using its gravitas and promise of a relationship to unscrew a time bomb that is threatening a two-state solution,” he said.
Trump later told reporters in the Oval office that he had a call with the leaders from both countries who had agreed to exchange embassies and ambassadors and “begin cooperation across the board.” He said he expected other countries to follow the UAE’s lead on normalizing relations going forward.
“We are already discussing this with other nations,” Trump said. “So you will probably see other of these.”
The agreement marks only the third Israel-Arab peace deal since Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948. Egypt signed one in 1979, and Jordan in 1994. Until now Israel has had no diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab countries.
In the coming weeks, delegations from Israel and the UAE will meet to sign bilateral agreements regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies.
The joint statement also revealed that the countries will also join the US in launching a “Strategic Agenda for the Middle East.”
