US president hails the agreement to normalize diplomatic ties between Israel and UAE (Photo: Reuters)

Under the agreement announced on Thursday Israel will suspend further annexation of occupied areas in the West Bank and Jordan Valley that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently pledged to annex. On Twitter, President Trump called the agreement a “historic diplomatic breakthrough” between Israel and the UAE.

Trump said the agreement will be called the “Abraham agreement”. He said: “After 49 years, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will fully normalize their diplomatic relations. They will exchange embassies and ambassadors, and begin cooperation across the board. This deal is a significant step towards building a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East. Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates lead”.

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi congratulated Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, by phone on Thursday. He expressed his hope that the deal will further peace and stability in the Middle East.

Bahrain praised the UAE’s diplomatic effort, saying it will foster peace and stability in the region and revive hopes for a comprehensive, long-term solution to the conflict between Palestine and Israel.