WASHINGTON: After the UAE, Bahrain and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday.
In a joint statement, the US, Bahrain and Israel said the agreement was reached after Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Friday.
“This is a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East,” the statement reads. The deal comes after Israel and the UAE agreed to normalise ties last month.
Bahrain said n Friday that it supports a “fair and comprehensive” peace in the Middle East, the country’s BNA state news agency reported, adding that ‘that peace should be based on a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to King Hamad.
Bahrain will join Israel and the UAE for a signing ceremony at the White House on 15 September.
“It’s unthinkable that this could happen and so fast,” Trump told reporters about the Israel-Bahrain deal.
Trump’s son-in-law and senior White House adviser, Jared Kushner, 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,” Kushner said.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization reacted furiously to the agreement, saying the Bahrain-Israel deal was “another treacherous stab” to (the) Palestinian cause”.
Netanyahu said that he was “moved” to announce the agreement with Bahrain, which he said “adds to the historic peace with the United Arab Emirates.”.