Another Arab nation will open diplomatic relations with Israel, a move that the Trump Administration will undoubted tout as a major step to achieving peace in the Middle East, the Washington Post reports.
Bahrain, the third-smallest nation in Asia, will sign on to the peace agreement with the United Arab Emirates and Israel in which the two Arab nations recognize Israel as a sovereign nation. Both the UAE and Bahrain achieved independence in 1971, and neither has ever taken up arms against Israel.
Trump has used Bahrain’s recognition of Israel as a major talking point in his reelection campaign to demonstrate foreign policy success.
In yesterday’s press briefing, Trump claimed that he spoke to the king of Saudi Arabia and hinted that the Saudis were also open to joining the agreement; no independent reporting confirms this claim.
The only Arab nations that recognize Israel’s independence and established formal diplomatic ties are Jordan and Egypt.