Historical: Trump announces peace agreement between Israel and UAE

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a historic peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Thus becoming the third Arab country to normalize ties with Israel after Jordan and Egypt.

From left to right: Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, US President Donald Trump, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The agreement creates diplomatic ties including an exchange of embassies and ambassadors. Bilateral agreements will be signed in the coming days that will strengthen their commitment to collaborate on security, tourism, health, energy and telecommunications issues. The agreement will also create direct flights between the two countries.

“Opening direct links between two of the Middle East’s most dynamic societies and the advanced economy will transform the region by stimulating economic growth, enhancing technological innovation and forging closer relations between people,” according to a joint statement by President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The last time Israel signed a peace treaty with a major Arab state was in 1994 between Israel and Jordan.

Important step for peace in the Middle East

Trump announced the deal on Twitter, calling it a “huge” breakthrough.

For his part, Netanyahu retweeted Trump’s message, calling it a “historic day.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the movement as “a major step forward for peace in the Middle East.”

“The United States hopes that this bold step will be the first in a series of agreements that will end 72 years of hostilities in the region,” Pompeo said.

Trump suggested that further diplomatic advances between Israel and other Muslim countries were expected.

“Things are happening that I can’t talk about,” he told reporters.

Palestinian leaders are not happy with the agreement between Israel and the AU.

Israel to temporarily halt plans to annex Judea and Samaria

In exchange for normalizing ties with the United Arab Emirates, Israel will stop plans to annex up to 30% of the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

“As a result of this diplomatic breakthrough and at the request of President Trump with the support of the United Arab Emirates, Israel will suspend the declaration of sovereignty over the areas outlined in the President’s Vision for Peace and focus its efforts now on expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world,” the joint statement by Trump, Netanyahu and Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Israeli officials said the freeze on plans to annex the West Bank was only temporary.

“Israel remains committed to annexing parts of the West Bank,” a senior Israeli official said, according to the Times of Israel. “The Trump administration asked for a temporary halt to the announcement [of sovereignty enforcement] to first implement the historic peace agreement with the United Arab Emirates.”

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