Washington
Israel signed historic diplomatic pacts with two Gulf Arab states Tuesday in a White House rite that President Donald Trump said will mark “the new Middle East,” presenting itself as a foreign peacemaker at the height of his re-election campaign.
Bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of Israel’s already thawed relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in accordance with its unusual opposition to Iran. But the agreements deal with decades-long confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians, who see the pacts as a stab wound to the backs of their Fellow Arabs and a betrayal of their cause for a Palestinian state.
Hundreds more people piled up on the sun-drenched south lawn to witness the signing of agreements in a festive environment not marked by the coronavirus pandemic, participants did not practice social distance and the maximum number of visitors did not wear masks.
“We’re here this afternoon to replace the course of history,” Trump said from a balcony overlooking the south garden. “After decades of department and conflict, we marked the beginning of a new Middle East. “
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the day “is an axis of history. It presages a new peace. “
Neither Netanyahu nor Trump spoke of the Palestinians in their comments, but foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain spoke of the importance of creating a Palestinian state.
UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother of Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, thanked Netanyahu for “stopping the annexation” of West Bank lands claimed through the Palestinians to return to the popularity of the Emirati. Array Netanyahu, however, insisted that Israel had suspended its plans. to annex West Bank settlements.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants fired two rockets at Israel, which were supposed to coincide with the ceremony. The Israeli army said the rockets were fired from Gaza and one was intercepted through air defenses. The West Bank and Gaza, where photographs of Trump, Netanyahu and leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain trampled and burned.
Israel and the United States hope that the agreements can mark the beginning of a major replacement in the region if other Arab countries adhere to the measure. This may have implications for Iran, Syria and Lebanon. So far, Israel has concluded peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan. .