The foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have signed historic diplomatic normalization deals with Israel at a ceremony at the White House.
In an event overseen by President Donald Trump, the Emirati foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s foreign minister, Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani signed the accords with the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The three countries and President Trump hailed the deals as “historic”. The Abraham Accords, as they have been named, are framed by the Trump administration as a “pathway to peace” for the region and proof of Mr Trump’s credentials as a deal maker.
The Gulf States represent just the third and fourth Arab countries after Egypt and Jordan to recognise Israel since its founding in 1948.
President Trump hopes other countries will follow suit, but the Palestinians have urged them not to while their conflict remains unresolved. For decades, most Arab states have boycotted Israel, insisting they would only establish ties after Israel’s dispute with the Palestinian was settled.
“After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East,” Mr Trump told a crowd of hundreds gathered at the White House.
“We’re here to change the course of history,” he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the deals, saying, “This day is a pivot of history; it heralds a new dawn of peace.”
The moves, which signal a significant shift in regional geopolitics, should see the opening of embassies in the respective countries, as well as flights, tourism and trade links.
The deals also strengthens the regional alliance against Iran, a common enemy for both sides.
The UAE and Bahraini officials both sought to reassure the Palestinians that their countries were not abandoning them or their quest for statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite the Palestinian leadership having decried the deals as a betrayal of their cause.
Mr Al-Zayani said: “Today is a truly historic occasion. A moment for hope and opportunity.”
Sheikh Abdullah added: “We are already witnessing a change in the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope around the world.
“We are witnessing today a new trend that will create a better path for the Middle East.”
But Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said only an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories could bring peace to the Middle East.
In a sign that regional conflict is sure to continue while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel during the ceremony, the Israeli military said.
“This is not peace, this is surrender in return for the continuation of the aggression,” read a tweet posted on the Twitter account of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. “There will be no peace before Palestine is free.”
Donald Trump’s administration and the Israelis say the accords mark a turning point and will prompt the Palestinians to accept the reality of the situation as it is now.
With Trump seeking four more years, the accords could help shore up support among pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters, an important part of his political base.
