Bahrain on Friday agreed to normalize relations with Israel, becoming the latest Arab nation to do so as part of a broader diplomatic push by President Donald Trump and his administration to further ease the Jewish state’s relative isolation in the Middle East and find common ground with nations that share U.S. wariness of Iran. Trump announced the agreement on the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks following a phone call he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The three leaders also issued a brief joint statement marking the second such Arab normalization agreement with Israel in the past two months. The announcement came less than a week before Trump hosts a White House ceremony to mark the establishment of full relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, something that Trump and his Middle East team brokered in August. Bahrain’s foreign minister will attend that event and sign a separate agreement with Netanyahu. “There’s no more powerful response to the hatred that spawned 9/11 than this agreement,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Friday’s agreement is another diplomatic win for Trump less than two months before the presidential election and an opportunity to shore up support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians. In addition to the UAE deal, Trump just last week announced agreements in principle for Kosovo to recognize Israel and for Serbia to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Another historic day for Israel and the Arab world. Congratulations to PM @netanyahu, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Salman, President @realDonaldTrump, and @jaredkushner on this tremendous achievement. We are witnessing the beginning of a new era in the Middle East! pic.twitter.com/21Li3LqOGO — Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) September 11, 2020 But, it is a setback for Palestinian leaders, who have urged Arab nations to withhold recognition until they have secured an independent state. The Palestinians have seen a steady erosion in once-unified Arab support — one of the few cards they still held as leverage against Israel — since Trump began pursuing an unabashedly pro-Israel agenda. “This is another stab in the back of the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian people and their rights,” said Wasel Abu Yousef, a senior Palestinian official. “It is a betrayal of Jerusalem and the Palestinians … We see absolutely no justification for this free normalization with Israel.” From Israel – Jordan peace agreement to Israel – UAE peace agreement: 26 years. From Israel – UAE peace agreement to Israel – Bahrain peace agreement: 29 days!! Trump diplomacy in action, wasting no time in changing the world for the better! — David M. Friedman (@USAmbIsrael) September 11, 2020 In their joint statement, Trump, Netanyahu and King Hamad called the agreement “a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East.” “Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region,” they said. Bahrain Israel: The EU welcomes the announced establishment of their diplomatic relations. These developments represent a positive contribution to peace and stability in the region – ⁦@JosepBorrellF⁩ on behalf of EU27 https://t.co/EREm1xgGLh — Peter Stano (@ExtSpoxEU) September 12, 2020 Like the UAE agreement, the Bahrain-Israel deal will normalize […]

The post Watch: Trump Announces Israel-Bahrain Normalization Deal appeared first on The Yeshiva World.