President Trump announces another Middle East peace deal — this time between Israel and Bahrain

President Donald Trump announced another peace deal Friday, as Israel and Bahrain established diplomatic relations just weeks after a similar agreement was struck between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Fox News reported.

 

Bahrain becomes just the fourth country in the region to establish formal peaceful ties with Israel, joining Egypt, Jordan, and UAE. President Trump was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the deal between Israel and UAE.

"This is a historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East," a joint statement from the U.S., Bahrain, and Israel said. "Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region."

The announcement of the deal comes on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and President Trump pointed out the significance of pushing for peace in the region.

"There's no more powerful response to the hatred that spawned 9/11 than this agreement," Trump said.

CNN reported that officials believe this deal could be significant toward a potential agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, since Bahrain is viewed in some ways as an extension of Saudi Arabia:

Bahrain, a tiny island nation that is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, is regarded in some ways as an extension of Saudi Arabia, partly because they are physically linked by a causeway but also because the Bahraini monarchy is heavily reliant on Riyadh.

Officials said the agreement with Israel announced on Friday could likely not have happened without Saudi Arabia's blessing, signaling that Bahrain may serve as a test case for a future Saudi-Israel deal.

A signing ceremony that will include Bahrain, UAE, and Israel is scheduled on Tuesday.

The White House emphasized the impact of the agreements as Trump runs for reelection, pointing out the historic nature of the peace deals and using them as examples of the president's desire to end long-term conflicts in the region.

"This is an extraordinary achievement," White House deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern told Fox News. "The president made the first major breakthrough like this in 26 years. In less than a month, he's made yet another one."