‘Arab-Israel normalization deals serve Netanyahu, Trump’

Ramallah, Sep 17 (IANS) The Arab-Israel normalization agreements is “poor play” that only serves Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, a Palestinian official said.

On Wednesday, Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of the Central Committee of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Movement, said that “signing the agreements at the White House is a poorly directed and planned theatrical act that does not serve the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, but rather Trump and Netanyahu, each for his own reasons, whether electoral or political”

Rajoub called for adopting a Palestinian strategy that focuses on achieving a unified political position to thwart the US Middle East peace plan and confront the Israeli annexation, reports Xinhua news agency.

The official also called for escalating the resistance against Israel in the Palestinian territories.

The remarks came a day after Israel signed agreements to normalise diplomatic ties with the UAE and Bahrain at the White House on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump joined Netanyahu, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in signing the three-way agreements.

The signing ceremony, which was held in the South Lawn at the White House, formally makes the UAE and Bahrain the third and the fourth Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel.

Egypt and Jordan signed their peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994, respectively.

In reaction to the signing of the agreement, hundreds of Palestinians in Lebanon staged a protest rally in the Rashidieh and Beddawi camps on Wednesday.

The protesters burned photos of Trump and Netanyahu in addition to the flags of the US, Israel and the countries that have normalized ties.

–IANS

ksk/