Biden praises Israel-UAE deal as building on ‘efforts of multiple administrations’

Former Vice President Joe Biden hailed the announcement of a deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish formal diplomatic ties, saying the move was the culmination of “efforts of multiple administrations.”

“Today, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have taken a historic step to bridge the deep divides of the Middle East. The UAE’s offer to publicly recognize the State of Israel is a welcome, brave, and badly-needed act of statesmanship. And it is a critical recognition that Israel is a vibrant, integral part of the Middle East that is here to stay. Israel can and will be a valued strategic and economic partner to all who welcome it,” Biden said in a statement. 

“The coming together of Israel and Arab states builds on the efforts of multiple administrations to foster a broader Arab-Israeli opening, including the efforts of the Obama-Biden administration to build on the Arab Peace Initiative,” he added.

The statement follows President Trump’s announcement that he will help support the full normalization of ties between the two countries, which would make the UAE the first Gulf nation and only the third Arab state to reach a peace agreement with Israel.

Under the deal, Israel would halt efforts to annex territory in the West Bank, a move that likely would have sparked international condemnation.

“This 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,” read a joint statement between Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. “All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement.”

Trump was quick to tout the announcement, later saying he expects other Arab nations to be more open to peace with Israel following the deal with the UAE.

“Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates’s lead … and normalize relations with Israel,” Trump said on Fox News. “We are already discussing this with other nations, with very powerful, very good nations and people that want to see peace in the Middle East. So you will probably see others of these.”

The deal hands Trump a diplomatic victory with less than 100 days to go before the election. 

Biden vowed that he and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), his newly announced running mate, would work to expand on the progress made to try to negotiate peace in the Middle East. 

“[T]he United Arab Emirates and Israel have pointed a path toward a more peaceful, stable Middle East. A Biden-Harris Administration will seek to build on this progress, and will challenge all the nations of the region to keep pace,” he said.