Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden praised the newly struck agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates that his 2020 rival, President Trump, said he brokered.
“Today, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have taken a historic step to bridge the deep divides of the Middle East. The UAE’s offer to publicly recognize the State of Israel is a welcome, brave, and badly-needed act of statesmanship,” Biden said in a Thursday afternoon statement.
The former vice president emphasized that Israel is an “integral part of the Middle East that is here to stay” and encouraged more cooperation between Israel and neighboring Arab countries. He also highlighted past efforts to build collaboration in the region.
“The coming together of Israel and Arab states builds on the efforts of multiple administrations to foster a broader Arab-Israeli opening, including the efforts of the Obama-Biden administration to build on the Arab Peace Initiative,” he said. “I personally spent time with leaders of both Israel and the UAE during our administration building the case for cooperation and broader engagement and the benefits it could deliver to both nations, and I am gratified by today’s announcement.”
Biden specifically praised the portion of the deal in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to “suspend” a plan to annex territory that is regarded by Palestinians as a necessary part of a prospective Palestinian state.
“Annexation would be a body blow to the cause of peace, which is why I oppose it now and would oppose it as president. It would virtually end any chance of a two-state solution that would secure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state and uphold the right of Palestinians to a state of their own,” Biden said.
Biden, who selected California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate a day before the Middle East deal, said that “a Biden-Harris Administration will seek to build on this progress, and will challenge all the nations of the region to keep pace.”
