EU welcomes Israel-UAE deal

The European Union on Friday welcomed the agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to establish ties and restated its support for a two state Middle East peace deal.

“The normalisation will be at the benefit of both. It is important both for them and for the regional stability. Both countries are our partners,” EU foreign policy spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told reporters.

“And, of course, as the EU, you know very well that we are committed to a two state solution. And we are, of course, ready to work on the resumption of the negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”

The Israel-UAE agreement, announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, and raised the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.

In it, Israel pledged to suspend its planned annexation of Palestinian lands, a concession welcomed by European and some pro-Western Arab governments as a boost for hopes of peace.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, tweeted: “Suspending annexation is positive step, plans should now be abandoned altogether. EU hopes for resumed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on two-state solution based on international agreed parameters.”