UAE formally ends boycott of Israel under deal advocated by Trump

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially ended its boycott against Israel following an announcement from President Trump earlier in the month that outlined the thawing of relations between the two countries.

“The decree of the new law comes within the UAE’s efforts to expand diplomatic and commercial cooperation with Israel,” state-run UAE news agency WAM said Saturday, according to The Associated Press.

The decree lays out “a roadmap toward launching joint cooperation, leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation.”

The axing of the boycott will now allow trade and commerce between the countries. Air travel will also resume.

Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner — the president’s son-in-law — is expected to be on the first commercial flight from Israel to the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi on Monday.

With the official decree, the UAE becomes the third Arab nation to have diplomatic ties with Israel, following Egypt and Jordan.

The newfound relationship is part of the Trump administration’s larger efforts to broker peace in the Middle East while shoring up support against Iran.

Earlier in the year, Trump outlined a peace plan between Israelis and Palestinians, which was widely criticized and condemned by the international community, as the president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu excluded Palestinians from the process.