White House says 5 more countries seriously considering Israel deals

MOSINEE, Wis.: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Thursday that five more countries are seriously considering striking a normalization deal with Israel after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed accords this week.

Meadows, speaking to reporters on Air Force One on the flight that carried President Donald Trump to a campaign rally in Wisconsin, would not identify the five nations.

But he said three were in the region. He would not comment further.Trump has spoken optimistically about more countries agreeing to a normalization of relations with Israel following the UAE and Bahrain deals. One possibility is Oman, whose ambassador attended the White House ceremony on Tuesday. Trump predicted on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia would eventually agree to a deal.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump will award the U.S. Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, to Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the White House said in a statement on Friday, saying it was the first time the honor has been given since 1991. The emir arrived in the United States in July to complete his medical treatment, the Kuwaiti state news agency said at the time, adding the 91-year-old emir was in stable condition. The emir’s eldest son, Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, will accept the award on behalf of his father at a private ceremony, the White House added. Separately, the White House said Trump would greet the emir’s eldest son on Friday.

Another report says, a US aircraft carrier passed the Strait of Hormuz to enter the Gulf Friday amid Washington threats to enforce “UN” sanctions without the backing of Security Council partners, the Navy announced. A strike group led by the USS Nimitz and including two guided-missile cruisers and a guided-missile destroyer sailed into the Gulf to operate and train with US partners and support the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, the US 5th Fleet said in a statement.