The Israeli Knesset overwhelmingly approved the normalization agreement with the Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday in a vote of 62 to 14, with only the Arab Joint List opposing the US-brokered deal that established formal relations on October 18 with the Gulf nation.
Bahrain is one of the three Muslim countries to sign peace accords with the State of Israel within a six-week period, prior to the American presidential elections on November 3, along with the United Arab Emirates and Sudan.
The agreement with the United Arab Emirates had already been under discussion for quite some time: economic, business, medical and science-related ties are already well on their way to strong development between the two countries.
As a follow up, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Tuesday that Washington has approved the sale of a $23.37 billion package of advanced defense equipment to the UAE, which will become the first Arab nation to possess such advanced technology.
“This is in recognition of our deepening relationship and the UAE’s need for advanced defense capabilities to deter and defend itself against heightened threats from Iran,” Pompeo said.
“The UAE’s historic agreement to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to positively transform the region’s strategic landscape. Our adversaries, especially those in Iran, know this and will stop at nothing to disrupt this shared success, he said.
“The UAE’s historic agreement to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to positively transform the region’s strategic landscape,” Pompeo said. “Our adversaries, especially those in Iran, know this and will stop at nothing to disrupt this shared success,” Pompeo said.
BREAKING: US Sec of State Mike Pompeo approves up to 50 F-35 ✈️ to .
UAE becomes first Arab country to acquire such military technology. Statement pic.twitter.com/ReZ0HRRZRP
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam)
The package, worth up to $23.37 billion, includes up to 50 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, up to 18 MQ-9B Unmanned Aerial Systems and a package of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.