US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that “five or six” more Arab countries were prepared to agree to normalise relations with Israel in line with groundbreaking agreements between the Jewish state and the UAE and Bahrain. “We’re very far down the road with about five countries, five additional countries,” Trump said as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office, ahead of a signing ceremony with both Arab states for the US-brokered peace deal.
During separate bilateral talks with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Trump did not name the additional countries, but indicated that Saudi Arabia could be on board without saying so directly. “We’ve had great talks with Saudi Arabia. I think their mind is very open,” said Trump who also met with Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani ahead of the signing ceremony.
“The Palestinians will be completely a member. I’m not doing it at the right moment with any bravado, I’m just telling you the Palestinians will be a member,” Trump said. The White House event would be the first time since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 that the Arab nations have formed relations with Israel. Hundreds of people were invited to participate and there was no ruling out a symbolic handshake between the Arab leaders and Netanyahu.
