Kushner: UAE-Israel agreement 1.5 yrs in the making

President Donald Trump's senior viser Jared Kushner says agreement between United Arab Emirates and Israel was a year and a half in making.

"This is something that was talked about but never really got to right place for it to happen," said Kushner in White House briefing room on Thursday.

"As you kw, it deals deals happen when deals are rey and peace deals are very rare and very historic. And re's a lot of reasons why people would be held back from moving forward."

two countries have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt annexation of occupied land sought by Palestinians for ir future state

anuncement makes UAE first Gulf Arab state to do so and only third Arab nation to have active diplomatic ties to Israel.

Palestinians expressed anger over anuncement and official Palestinian brocaster Palestine TV reported Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called an urgent meeting of his top leership to discuss agreement and determine a position on it.

Trump tweeted a statement from countries, ackwledging deal. He n told reporters in Oval Office that it was “a truly historic moment.”

recognition grants a rare diplomatic win to Trump ahe of vember election as his efforts to see an end to war in Afghanistan have yet to come to fruition while attempts to bring peace between Israel and Palestinians have me heway. Israel and UAE are among Trump's closest foreign allies.

Kushner also was asked during briefing about him reportedly meeting with Kanye West in Coloro.

"I kwn for about 10 years and we talk every w and n about different things, and we both happen to be in Coloro," said Kushner.

"We got toger and we h a great discussion about a lot of things. He has some great ideas for her for for what he'd like to see happen in country, and that's why he has candidacy that he's been doing. But again, re's a lot of issues that president's champion that he mires. And it was just great to have a friendly discussion."

West, who once backed Republican President Donald Trump, anunced last month that he h broken with Trump and would launch his own presidential bid. West has since qualified in states such as Oklahoma, Arkansas  and Coloro, while his effort to get on ballot is being challenged in Wisconsin.

Lawyers and activists with GOP ties in have been involved in efforts in Arkansas and or states to get West on ballot, fueling suspicions that he's being pushed by Trump allies hoping to siphon support away from former Vice President Joe Biden.