PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed on Friday the decision by the United Arab Emirates to normalize ties with Israel. In a tweet, Macron said: "I hail the courageous decision by the United Arab Emirates and its desire to contribute the establishment of a just and lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians." "I commend the brave decision by the United Arab Emirates, which I hope will help establish fair and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I have expressed this wish to President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the French president added. On Thursday, the UAE and Israel agreed to normalize their relations after the latter pledged to suspend its planned annexation of Palestinian lands in West Bank, a concession welcomed by many as a boost for hopes of peace. The French president was one of the leading voices in Europe who had openly opposed the Israeli annexation plan. Macron had asked Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month to refrain from annexing Palestinian territory in the West Bank and elsewhere during a telephone call between the two leaders. In his telephone talks with the Israeli premier, Macron had emphasized that such a move would contravene international law and jeopardize the possibility of a two-state solution as the basis of a fair and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
