Within a month since the UAE decided to restore trade ties with Israel, Bahrain has become the latest Arab nation to normalize relations with the middle eastern country.
The deal was brokered by US President Donald Trump after he hosted a historic call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain to mediate a possible deal.
While speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said that “Bahrain has decided to fully normalize its diplomatic relations with Israel.” It followed a detailed tweet from the US President remarking the occasion as a “Historic Breakthrough”.
Joint Statement of the United States, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the State of Israel pic.twitter.com/xMquRkGtpM
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2020
Bahrain is expected to join Israel and the UAE for a signing ceremony at the White House on September 15. “It’s unthinkable that this could happen and so fast,” President Trump said about the Israel-Bahrain deal.
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Jared Kushner, Senior White House adviser & President Trump’s son-in-law hailed the agreements as “the culmination of four years of great work” by the Trump administration. “We’re seeing the beginning of a new Middle East, and the president has really secured alliances and partners in trying to pursue that,” Mr. Kushner said.
Describing this as a historic agreement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remarked that President Trump has fulfilled his promise to strengthen the United States’ ties with other countries while building new partnerships in the pursuit of peace. “From my recent travels to the region, there is clear momentum for the new Middle East. I thank King Hamad and Prime Minister Netanyahu for having the courage to change the fate of nations,” he said.
UAE extended its appreciation
In a statement yesterday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed its hope that establishing relations would have a positive effect on the climate for peace and cooperation regionally and internationally.
The Ministry also noted that the move represents a significant step towards an era of security and prosperity, underscoring that it would expand the scope of economic, cultural, scientific, and diplomatic avenues of cooperation.
