The United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates issued a statement announcing the start of cooperation in the field of energy in which the three countries will cooperate “in an attempt to find solutions to the energy challenges facing the Palestinians, through the development of energy sources, electricity infrastructure and technology.”

“Cooperation in the field of energy will contribute to the formation of a stable and prosperous Middle East,” said the statement, released on Thursday and signed by Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, his Emirati counterpart Suhail bin Muhammad Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei and U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillet.

The official Emirates News Agency reported that, “The United Arab Emirates, the United States of America and the State of Israel acknowledge the importance of focusing on practical steps with tangible results in the energy sector and agree together to encourage more coordination in this field, including in the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, oil and gas resources.

“Our dynamic economies will look to utilize world-leading research and development capabilities to meet the needs of present and future generations. We will seek to find solutions to the energy challenges facing the Palestinian people by developing energy resources, technologies and related infrastructure.”

This statement coincides with an announcement by Lebanon and Israel on Thursday that they have reached a “historic” agreement to start negotiations under the guidance of the United States regarding their disputed land and sea borders.

Israel and Lebanon are at war. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, welcomed the understanding, stressing its readiness to “provide all possible support to the parties and facilitate efforts to resolve this issue.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that this agreement was “the fruit of relentless diplomatic efforts that lasted for nearly three years.”

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