Israel-UAE normalization deal to be signed at White House on Sept. 15
- Barak Ravid, author of Axios from Tel Aviv
Trump with the team of officials who helped broker the Israel-UAE agreement. Photo: Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images
The signing ceremony of the U.S.-brokered normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates will take place at the White House on Sept. 15, according to White House officials.
Why it matters: This will be the first signing of a peace agreement between Israel and an Arab state in more than 25 years.
Details: White House officials said President Trump will attend the ceremony alongside a senior Israeli delegation headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu and a senior Emirati delegation headed by Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed — a senior member of the royal family.
- It will be the first-ever public meeting between an Israeli prime minister and an Emirati minister.
- Many meetings have taken place in the past, but they were kept secret.
Between the lines: The agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates will be a "treaty of peace" with the same legal and diplomatic status as peace agreements Israel has previously signed with Egypt and Jordan, Israeli and U.S. officials tell me.
- Israel wants the agreement to carry the most serious status, demanding the greatest commitment from both parties, Israeli officials explain.
- Officials also hope the agreement will send a message of long-term stability, rather than a temporary deal.
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