Mike Pompeo, Jared Kushner to visit Middle East to establish diplomatic relations

Trump administration will be sending top US Officials, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior advisor Jared Kushner, to Middle East in coming days to capitalise on momentum from historic agreement between Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish diplomatic relations. According to international media reports, Pompeo and Kushner will be making separate, multiple-nation visits to region. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to depart on August 23 for Israel, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Qatar and Sudan. Trump’s senior advisor and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, on or hand, will be leaving later in week for Israel, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. 

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As per reports, Pompeo will be discussing security challenges posed by Iran and China in region. He also reportedly plans to meet in Qatar with members of Taliban in a bid to discuss intra-Afghan peace talks that are key to withdrawal of remaining US forces in Afghanistan. Neir trip is expected to result in anuncements of an immediate breakthrough. However, both of m are aimed at finalising at least one, and potentially more, rmalisation deals with Israel in near future. 

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Israel-UAE ‘historic’ agreement 

Pompeo’s and Kushner’s Middle-East trip comes after Israel and UAE’s ‘historic’ agreement. On August 13, Israel and United Arab Emirates along with US released a joint statement that US President Donald Trump, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed agreed to full rmalisation of relations between UAE and Israel. 

With signing of deal, UAE becomes third Arab country apart from Egypt and Jordan to rmalise relations with Israel. Reports state that Israel and UAE have mulled over formalising Netanyahu's close ties with UAE, but gained fruition after six weeks of indirect talks through Jared Kushner and led to phone call between nations' leaders. This move grants a rare diplomatic win to Trump ahead of vember election, as his efforts to see an end to war in Afghanistan have yet to come to fruition while efforts to bring peace between Israel and Palestinians have made headway.

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