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Bahrain and Israel Normalize Relations


Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed sign the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations. (Sept. 15)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed sign the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations. (Sept. 15)

In less than one month, the United States has brokered two historic peace agreements in the Middle East, the most recent one between Israel and Bahrain.

Bahrain and Israel Normalize Relations
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In less than one month, the United States has brokered two historic peace agreements in the Middle East, the most recent one between Israel and Bahrain. The first was between Israel and United Arab Emirates.

In the spirit of peace and cooperation, Bahrain has agreed to normalize its diplomatic relations with Israel. They will exchange embassies and ambassadors, begin direct flights between their countries, and launch cooperation initiatives across a broad range of sectors, including health, business, technology, education, security, and agriculture.

There have been only two other peace agreements with Israel in the last 72 years, said President Trump, “and I am very hopeful that there will be more to follow.” Indeed, the agreements with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates also help to advance prospects for finding a fair and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

After decades of instability and crisis, conditions in the Middle East have improved significantly over the last three years, said President Trump:

“I’ve restored trust with our regional partners, and together we’ve eliminated the ISIS caliphate 100 percent; isolated the radicals who pervert Islam and sow instability. Today, nations across the region and throughout the world are joining together, united in their determination to build a better future, free from the evils which perpetuate terror.”

President Trump thanked the leaders of Israel and Bahrain for their courage to forge this historic agreement:

“Their leadership is proving that the future can be filled with hope and does not need to be predetermined by conflicts of the past. . . .As more countries normalize relations with Israel — which will happen quite quickly, we believe — the region will become more and more stable, secure, and prosperous.

The United States will continue to stand with the people of the Middle East as they work to build a brighter, more hopeful future.

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