US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a ‘peace deal’ between the UAE and Israel.
Right-wing Norwegian MP Christian Tybring-Gjedde praised Trump for his role in normalising relations between the two countries and claimed he had done more to “create peace” between nations than any other Nobel nominee.
He told Fox News: “For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.”
He elaborated in his letter that he hoped after the controversial deal to normalise relations between the UAE and Israel would lead to further normalisation in the region.
He wrote: “As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity.”
He also praised Trump for his “key role in facilitating contact between conflicting parties” and “creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan, and the conflict between North and South Korea, as well as dealing with the nuclear capabilities of North Korea.”
READ: Pro-Israel US lobby group opens office in UAE
This is not the first time Tybring-Gjedde has nominated someone for a Nobel prize. In 2006, the anti-immigration hardliner nominated anti-Islam filmmaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali, he has also been an outspoken critic of the religion, likening the hijab and other religious dress worn by Muslim women to a Nazi uniform or that of white supremacist US group the Ku Klux Klan.
Tybring-Gjedde is a fierce advocate of Israel and has attended many events and demonstrations in support of the country. He is a member of the ‘Friends of Israel in the Parliament of Norway’ group.
He has spoken out against recognising Palestine as a state and warned against following suit of neighbour Sweden, who recognised Palestine in 2014. He further accused Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende of being “naive” after he condemned Israel’s “disproportionate” use of force in Gaza.
Trump is scheduled to host a signing ceremony between the UAE and Israel on 15 September after announcing a deal to normalise relations between the two last month.
READ: Palestinians need to discard and disregard US and international misrepresentations