Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed Thursday to establish a formal diplomatic relationship, a dramatic shift brokered by the U.S. that helps cement Israel’s warming ties with Gulf Arab states.
“The historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential in the region,” said a joint statement from Israel, the U.S. and the U.A.E.
As part of the announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed not to go ahead with a pledge to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, which had drawn fierce criticism from Arab states and Europe. The Arab states and Europe say any move to unilaterally annex areas Palestinians claim for a future state would permanently dash hopes for the creation of a Palestinian state side by side with Israel.
Israeli and Emirati officials will meet in the coming weeks to sign a range of bilateral agreements.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel...tic-relationship-11597333313?mod=hp_lead_pos1
This is a big deal and great news.
On a personal note, I was in Abu Dhabi in December. While using a computer in my hotel's conference center, I tried to read an article in the Jerusalem Post. It was blocked! Hopefully, that gets taken care of as diplomatic relations get established.