Donald Trump says peace deals close between Israel and 'five or six' other countries

US President Donald Trump said that "five or six" more Arab countries were poised to agree to normalise relations with Israel, in line with the landmark accords struck between the Jewish state and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Agence France-Presse
Washington
September 15, 2020
UPDATED: September 15, 2020 23:51 IST

Trump, with (from left) Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, during the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP Photo)

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "five or six" more Arab countries were poised to agree to normalize relations with Israel, in line with the landmark accords struck between the Jewish state and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

"We're very far down the road with about five countries, five additional countries," Trump said as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office, ahead of a signing ceremony with both Arab states for the US-brokered peace deal.

"We'll have at least five or six countries coming along very quickly, we're already talking to them," Trump said.

Trump did not name the additional countries, but hinted during separate bilateral talks with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan that Saudi Arabia may be on board without saying so specifically.

"We've had great talks with Saudi Arabia. I think their mind is very open," said Trump who also met with Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani ahead of the signing ceremony.

For the Mideast, the deals dubbed the Abraham Accords mark a distinct shift in a decades-old status quo where Arab countries have tried to maintain unity against Israel over its treatment of the stateless Palestinians.

"After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East," Trump said as the signing ceremony began.

Palestinian leaders have urged demonstrations in the occupied territories and outside embassies of the United States, Israel, Bahrain and the UAE to protest what they called "shameful agreements."

Trump nonetheless voiced confidence the Palestinians would eventually sign on to the US-brokered peace agreements -- which he hopes will boost his reelection chances in November.

"The Palestinians will absolutely be a member. I don't say that with any bravado, I just tell you the Palestinians will be a member at the right time," Trump said.

The White House event will be the first time Arab nations have established relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

Hundreds of people were invited to attend and a symbolic handshake between the Arab representatives and Netanyahu has not been ruled out.

False Excuses To Hide Congress's Failures: AAP Hits Backs At Rahul Gandhi

In a tweet on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi cited AAP founder-member and civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan's reported claim that the movement was to a large extent supported and propped up by the BJP-RSS to bring down the Congress government and in-turn elect themselves to power.

AAP's Sanjay Singh told Rahul Gandhi to stop "hiding failures by making false excuses." (File)

New Delhi:

Rahul Gandhi is making false excuses to hide his party's failures, Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh said on Tuesday after the Congress leader alleged that the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement and the AAP were propped up by the RSS-BJP to subvert democracy and bring down the UPA government.

Mr Singh said the Congress must stop making false excuses to hide their failures.

"How long will they hide their failures by making false excuses? Stop crying now. The truth is that the country does not have any hope from both the BJP and the Congress," he said.

"Today, only the Aam Aadmi Party talks about the country, solving people's problems - schools, hospitals, electricity, water. In future, AAP will be the choice of the country," Mr Singh tweeted tagging Gandhi's tweet.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi cited AAP founder-member and civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan's reported claim that the movement was to a large extent supported and propped up by the BJP-RSS to bring down the Congress government and in-turn elect themselves to power.

"What was known to us has been confirmed by a founding member of AAP," the former Congress chief tweeted, tagging a media report on Prashant Bhushan's remarks.

"The IAC movement and AAP were propped up by the RSS/BJP to subvert democracy and bring down the UPA government," tweeted Mr Gandhi.

Prashant Bhushan was part of the India Against Corruption movement which was the precursor to the formation of the Aam Aadmi Paty, led by Arvind Kejriwal.

In 2015, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were expelled from the AAP over alleged "anti-party activities".

The India Against Corruption movement was particularly prominent during the anti-corruption protests of 2011 and 2012, concerned with the introduction of the Jan Lokpal bill.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rahul Gandhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)Sanjay Singh AAP

Donald Trump says peace deals close between Israel and \'five or six\' other countries

Donald Trump says peace deals close between Israel and 'five or six' other countries

US President Donald Trump said that "five or six" more Arab countries were poised to agree to normalise relations with Israel, in line with the landmark accords struck between the Jewish state and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Donald Trump says peace deals close between Israel and \'five or six\' other countries

False Excuses To Hide Congress's Failures: AAP Hits Backs At Rahul Gandhi

In a tweet on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi cited AAP founder-member and civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan's reported claim that the movement was to a large extent supported and propped up by the BJP-RSS to bring down the Congress government and in-turn elect themselves to power.