Israel, UAE announce US-brokered deal to normalize relations
Under the deal, Israel has agreed to suspend plans to annex the West Bank.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached a historic US-brokered peace deal on Thursday to fully normalize diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern nations.
Praising the breakthrough as one that will advance Middle East peace and “unlock the great potential in the region,” a joint statement released by the White House said that Israel would “suspend declaring sovereignty” over parts of the West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pledged to annex large portions of the West Bank as outlined in the Donald Trump administration's controversial Middle East peace plan. The Emirati government hailed the accord for dealing a “death blow” to Israel’s annexation ambitions.
But those plans are reportedly still on the table. During a televised address Thursday, Netanyahu said he is "committed to annexing parts of the West Bank” and that the suspension is only temporary.
