UAE Pressures Netanyahu on Trump's Gaza Peace Proposal

In a strategic diplomatic maneuver, the United Arab Emirates is pushing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt U.S. President Donald Trump's peace proposal for Gaza, urging him to forgo annexation plans for the West Bank. A delegate familiar with the discussions indicated that the UAE's proposal was clearly communicated to Netanyahu.

The UAE, renowned for normalizing ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, warned Netanyahu that annexation could jeopardize future normalization with other Arab and Muslim nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. The Israeli leader is under pressure from far-right politicians advocating West Bank sovereignty to hinder Palestinian statehood aspirations.

At a meeting with President Trump, Israeli officials expressed that Netanyahu would present Israel's stance on Gaza's peace plan. The UAE's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, already conveyed UAE's backing for Trump's initiative in a separate meeting with Netanyahu. The proposal offers significant benefits and aims to balance Palestinian ambitions with Israeli security concerns.

(With inputs from agencies.)