Trump Says He Expects Saudi Arabia to Join UAE-Israel Deal
- Trump Says He Expects Saudi Arabia to Join UAE-Israel Deal
by MEE and agencies, https://www.middleeasteye.net/
US president also says UAE is interested in buying US F-35 fighter jets, a move Israel says it is opposed to
–
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he expected Saudi Arabia to join the agreement announced last week by Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalise diplomatic ties and forge a broad new relationship. “I do,” Trump replied when asked at a White House news conference if he expected Saudi Arabia to join the deal. Under the accord, which Trump helped broker, Israel said on 13 August it had agreed to suspend the annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank.
–
However, just hours after the announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he remained “committed to annexing parts of the West Bank”. The Palestinian Authority denounced the agreement in a statement, calling it “a betrayal of Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa and the Palestinian cause,” and demanded its retraction.
–
“The [Palestinian] leadership affirms that neither the UAE, nor any other party, has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people, nor does it allow anyone to intervene in Palestinian affairs regarding the legitimate rights in their homeland.”
–
Saudi state media backs deal
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan cautiously welcomed normalisation on Wednesday, saying the deal “could be viewed as positive”. “We are committed to the Arab Peace Plan and that is the best way forward to a settlement of the conflict and to normalisation with Israel with all states,” the minister told reporters in Berlin.
–
read more.
end