Netanyahu lands in US to sign deal with UAE, Bahrain to establish diplomatic relations

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached the United States ahead of Tuesday's ceremony at the White House where he and the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain will formally establish diplomatic relations.

Netanyahu's plane landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, DC, after Bahrain's foreign minister, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zay, arrived Sunday evening, The Times of Israel reported.

Though the texts of agreements have not been made public, the two Gulf countries have agreed to normalise ties with Israel. It will be Israel's third and fourth treaty with Arab states.

The other two Arab countries, which have diplomatic ties with Israel are Egypt and Jordan. For decades, most Arab states have boycotted Israel, insisting they would only establish ties after the Palestinian dispute was settled.

Calling the trip "historic," Netanyahu told Israelis in a televised address on Sunday evening that he had brought about "two peace deals in one month," and said they would mean an economic boon for Israel.

"That's always good, but it's particularly good during the coronavirus," he said.

On August 13, Israel and the UAE agreed to normalise relations and establish diplomatic ties between the two states, which, among other things, entailed Israel giving up its plans to expand sovereignty over the West Bank's territories. The landmark deal was brokered by the US.

Expectations have been voiced ever since that the other countries of the region will follow the UAE's example.

On September 11, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa officially announced a similar agreement in a trilateral phone conversation with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

( With inputs from ANI )