Trump Hopes That Saudi Arabia Will Join In The UAE-Israel Normalization

JAKARTA - United States President Donald Trump hopes that Saudi Arabia will join in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-Israel diplomatic rapprochement agreement. This historic deal was sponsored by the United States last week.

"Yes," Trump replied at a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, asked if he hoped the Saudis would join the deal.

Israel agreed to temporarily suspend its plans to annex areas in the occupied West Bank under the Trump-assisted agreement.

The agreement also affirms opposition to Iran, a regional power that the UAE, Israel and the United States see as the main threat in the Middle East.

In the first official statement issued by the Saudis since the agreement was announced, its foreign minister said Wednesday that the Sunni kingdom remains committed to peace with Israel on the basis of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

Saudi Arabia, which does not recognize Israel, orchestrated the initiative - which contains an offer that Arab states will restore relations with Israel if Israel reaches an agreement with the Palestinians.

In addition, according to the initiative, Israel must fully withdraw its existence from territory it annexed in 1967.

Earlier during a press conference, Trump called the UAE-Israel agreement a good deal.

He said "the countries we don't even believe want to join the deal". He did not mention the names of the countries in question, other than Saudi Arabia.

Trump also said the UAE is interested in buying Lockheed Martin Co-made F-35 jets, which Israel uses in combat.

"They have money and want to order quite a few F-35s, Trump said.