Trump’s nomination for Nobel Peace Prize ‘hard-earned’, says White House

US President Donald Trump’s nomination for Nobel Peace Prize is a "hard-earned and well-deserved honour”, said the White House on September 9. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement that Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his work in brokering an Israel-United Arab Emirates peace deal. 

“It was a historic deal and the first such deal in over two decades. This is a hard-earned and well-deserved honour for this President," she added.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, nominated Trump after he successfully brokered the deal for the normalisation of ties between the two Middle East nations. Public figures, including national politicians, professors and former prize winners are eligible to nominate someone for the Nobel Peace Prize.

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'Key role' in Israel-UAE deal

Tybring-Gjedde, who serves as the chair of the Norwegian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, credited Trump for playing a key role in the full normalisation of diplomatic ties. Hailing Trump for the withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, the Norwegian politician told Fox News that the Republican leader has done more to create peace between warring nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.

“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 wrote in his nomination letter.

While no Arab countries have publicly shown willingness to normalise ties with Israel, reports suggest that Oman and Bahrain might be the next countries following the UAE’s lead. The 57-year-old politician wrote that the last US President to avoid a war or preventing America from entering international armed conflict was Jimmy Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The nominations will be shortlisted in February and March next year and the winners will be announced in October.

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