In a major development for President Trump’s foreign policy achievements ahead of the November 3 election, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain Tuesday signed agreements with Israel formalizing their diplomatic relationships.
While Trump presided over the ceremony, the Middle East also looked to a new landscape that has seen a lot of blood spilled since Israel occupied the Palestinian territories.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain inked the accords – written in English, Hebrew and Arabic.
Trump, seeking second White House term, has been highlight his record as a peacemaker in contrast with the past governments that wen to wars across continents.
“We’re here this afternoon to change the course of history,” Trump said as he began the ceremony on a White House lawn.
Trump, who is contesting Democrat Joe Biden the three countries are taking a “major stride” in the direction of peace and prosperity.
Some experts say the relations between the Sunni majority Middle Eastern states and Israel represent a coalition against Shia Iran.
Under the Abraham Accords, Bahrain and the UAE will normalize diplomatic relations with Israel, leading to the establishment of the first embassies in one another’s countries. Israel and the U.A.E. recently announced the start of the first commercial flights between them. So far, Israel had normal relations with only two other Arab states, Jordan and Egypt.
Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner has been leading the diplomatic drive that resulted in the two accords.
The UAE is expected to buy a fleet of expensive F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
