Trump to host UAE-Israel deal-signing ceremony on Sept 15

Trump to host UAE-Israel deal-signing ceremony on Sept 15

Tue, 2020-09-08 21:28

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will hold a Sept. 15 signing ceremony for a groundbreaking Middle East agreement normalizing relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, a senior White House official said on Tuesday.

As part of the deal, announced at the White House on Aug. 13 following what officials said were 18 months of talks, the Gulf state agreed to normal relations with Israel, while Israel agreed to continue with plans to suspend its annexation of the West Bank.

The senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan would lead the two delegations to the ceremony.

"I am proud to embark next week to Washington, at the invitation of President Trump, to take