“Today’s announcement that Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will move forward to establish diplomatic relations is a positive and important step. It is critical that Israel’s right to exist is recognized by all and that Arab countries join in accepting Israel’s permanence. I hope that normalized relations between Israel and the UAE will open the door to other Arab states recognizing Israel and making peace with the Jewish state. I am also relieved that the Israeli government has decided not to move forward at this time with plans to annex parts of the West Bank, which would have made a two-state solution more difficult to achieve and endangered Israel’s long-term security.”