Netanyahu, UAE Crown Prince nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed have been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize following the normalisation deal the pair signed.

“Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Lord David Trimble today nominated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince,” the PM’s Office said in a statement.

The UAE and Bahrain signed normalisation deals with the occupation in September, becoming the third and fourth Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

The deals have drawn widespread condemnation from Palestinians, who say the accords ignore their rights and do not serve the Palestinian cause.

READ: Reasons for Gulf normalisation with Israel

According to Bloomberg, their nominations were put forward by David Trimble, the former First Minister of Northern Ireland who won in 1998 for his work on the Northern Ireland peace process, the prize committee is still required to meet to push through their nominations.

The winner, or winners of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, will be announced in October in Oslo.

On the back of the agreements, Israel approved a mutual visa exemption deal with the UAE during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

“This is the first Arab country with which we have signed such an agreement,” Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said before the vote. “It will open and strengthen the ties between the countries such as the economic ties. I believe that the citizens of Israel and the whole world see the tremendous change we are making in our region.”