Washington D.C. [US], August 13 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates will fully normalise their diplomatic relations.
A joint statement of US, UAE and Israel said: “President Donald J. Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates spoke today and agreed to the full normalisation of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”
As per the joint statement, delegations from Israel and the United Arab Emirates will meet in the coming weeks to sign bilateral agreements regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies, and other areas of mutual benefit.
“Opening direct ties between two of the Middle East’s most dynamic societies and advanced economies will transform the region by spurring economic growth, enhancing technological innovation, and forging closer people-to-people relations,” the statement read.
As a result of the agreement, Israel will suspend declaring sovereignty over 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 said the United Arab Emirates and Israel will immediately expand and accelerate cooperation regarding the treatment of and the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus. “Working together, these efforts will help save Muslim, Jewish, and Christian lives throughout the region.”
The statement underlined that this normalisation of relations and peaceful diplomacy will bring together two of America’s most reliable and capable regional partners.
“The parties will continue their efforts in this regard to achieve a just, comprehensive and enduring resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As set forth in the Vision for Peace, all Muslims who come in peace may visit and pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque, and Jerusalem’s other holy sites should remain open for peaceful worshippers of all faiths,” the joint statement said.
France welcomes Israeli-UAE agreement on normalising relations
Paris [France], August 14 (Sputnik/ANI): France on Thursday welcomed the Israeli-UAE agreement on normalising relations and deemed Israel‘s decision on suspending the annexation of the Palestinian territories as a “positive step”.
“France welcomes the announcement of normalizing the relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which are important regional partners for us. The decision made amid this context by the Israeli authorities on suspending the annexation of the Palestinian territories is a positive step, which must become a final measure,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on late Thursday.
The minister expressed hope that the Israeli-UAE agreement would also boost the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on a two-state solution, which is “the only way to reach fair and stable peace in the region.”
Palestine leadership denounces UAE, Israel, US agreement to normalise ties
Ramallah [Palestine], August 14 (Sputnik/ANI): Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday denounced the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, his spokesperson said.
“The Palestinian leadership rejects and denounces the surprising, trilateral, UAE, Israeli and US announcement,” Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.
Abu Rudeineh added that the Palestinian leadership equated the move to aggression against the Palestinian people.
“The Palestinian leadership considers the Emirati-Israeli normalization to destroy the Arab Peace Initiative and aggression against the Palestinian people,” Abu Rudeineh said.
