Pompeo hopes more Arab nations will forge ties with Israel

Jerusalem - Pompeo is set to visit Sudan, Bahrain and the UAE on his five-day trip.

Israel's prime minister and Washington's top diplomat voiced hope on Monday the Jewish state would soon build ties with more Arab countries, following its landmark move to normalise relations with the UAE.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was starting a Mideast tour in Jerusalem, both praised the US-brokered deal as a major step towards stability to the turbulent region.
"I'm very hopeful that we will see other Arab nations join in this," said Pompeo, who was also set to visit Sudan, Bahrain and the UAE on his five-day trip.
Netanyahu hailed the Israel-UAE agreement as "a boon to peace and regional stability" which "heralds a new era where we could have other nations join".
"I hope we'll have good news in the future, maybe in the near future," he said.
Washington and its close ally Israel hope that more such ties with other regional countries traditionally hostile to the Jewish state will help forge a stronger regional alliance against their common foe Iran.
Pompeo again stressed US President Donald Trump's goal that "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon" and urged world powers to maintain an arms embargo on the Islamic republic.