UAE secures Israel's commitment to 'halt annexation'

The UAE has secured Israel's commitment to stop the annexation of Palestinian territories in order to sustain efforts to achieve a two-state solution.

That's according to the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Anwar Gargash who has called it a major diplomatic achievement.

It came following a three-way telephone conversation between His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; U.S. President Donald Trump, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"This is a significant diplomatic achievement and comes in furtherance of the UAE’s belief that establishing normal relations with Israel will enable it to play a direct and constructive role in enhancing the region’s security and stability," said Dr. Gargash.

"The United States played a key role in this pragmatic step by the UAE, affirming its continued commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative and the rights of the Palestinian people to establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital," he explained.

Dr. Gargash added that the UAE seeks to build upon previous regional and international efforts aimed at reaching a solution to this conflict, which reflects the country's multilateral approach to sensitive regional issues.

Moreover, this agreement fosters opportunities for cooperation in several sectors, including in the economic, cultural, scientific, and technological fields to bolster the region’s prosperity, he went on to say.