Israel, UAE and Bahrain sign deals to normalize diplomatic relations – live
Bahrain #Bahrain
2.30pm EDT 14:30
Louisville mayor confirms $12 million settlement to Breonna Taylor’s family
The mayor of Louisville confirmed the family of Breonna Taylor would receive a financial settlement of $12 million after the 26-year-old African American woman was fatally shot by police.
Signs are held up showing Breonna Taylor during a rally on the steps of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort. Photograph: Timothy D Easley/AP
During a press conference today, Mayor Greg Fischer also outlined reforms to the city’s police force amid ongoing outcry over Taylor’s death in March.
Specifically, Fischer said search warrants would be subject to a higher level of scrutiny, a warning system would be established for officers who engage in misconduct and officers would be allowed to be paid for two hours of community work each week.
Attorney Lonita Baker, who is representing the Taylor family, celebrated the reforms, but she made clear that the Taylors would not give up efforts to hold the officers involved in the shooting accountable.
“Justice for Breonna Taylor is multi-layered,” Baker said, adding that Taylor’s legal team has faith an indictment will soon be coming in the case.
Taylor was shot and killed by Louisville police while officers were carrying out a no-knock warrant. As of now, no criminal charges have been filed in the case.
Updated at 2.31pm EDT
2.00pm EDT 14:00
Today so far
Here’s where the day stands so far:
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
1.45pm EDT 13:45
Rockets fired from Gaza amid normalization ceremony – reports
Rockets were fired from Gaza during the White House normalization signing ceremony with Israel, the Untied Arab Emirates and Bahrain, reportedly injuring at least two Israelis.
Haaretz reports:
Rocket sirens blared in southern Israeli cities during the signing ceremony of agreements between Israel and two Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the White House.
Sirens sounded off in the port city of Ashdod and the coastal city of Ashkelon, north of Gaza, according to the Israeli army. Residents reported hearing blasts in the area.
Emergency services said that paradmedics were treating two men lightly wounded by glass shards and four people suffering from shock.
1.41pm EDT 13:41
Israel, UAE and Bahrain sign normalization agreements
Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have now signed agreements to formally normalize diplomatic relations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain each signed copies of the agreements, as did Trump.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates sign historic accords normalizing ties. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
The White House has not yet released the exact text of the agreements, but officials have said that will be released later today.
1.30pm EDT 13:30
Speaking at the White House, the foreign minister of Bahrain said the normalization deal represented a “historic step on the road to genuine and lasting peace” in the Middle East.
The foreign minister, Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, thanked Trump and his advisers, such as Jared Kushner, for helping to craft the deal.
“Your tireless efforts brought us here today and made peace a reality,” Al-Zayani said.
1.14pm EDT 13:14
Trump predicted the normalization deal would “serve as the foundation for a comprehensive peace across the entire region —something which nobody thought was possible.”
Taking the podium, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for “unequivocally” standing by Israel’s side since taking office.
The prime minister discussed being wounded in battle and losing his brother to war to underscore the importance of the agreement.
1.01pm EDT 13:01
Trump says normalization deal will ‘change the course of history’
Trump is delivering remarks at the White House, congratulating Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on the “outstanding achievement” of agreeing to normalize relations.
The US president said he was “honored to welcome to the White House” leaders from the three nations, as they signed the normalization deal.
“We’re here this afternoon to change the course of history,” Trump said. “After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East.”
Updated at 1.02pm EDT
12.55pm EDT 12:55
While presenting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a “key to the White House,” Trump described it as a “special token of affection given by myself and the first lady.”
“It’s a key, we call it a key to the White House. And it’s a key to our country and to our hearts,” Trump said shortly before the normalization signing ceremony between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
12.36pm EDT 12:36
Before the normalization signing ceremony, Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office and presented him with a “key to the White House.”
Netanyahu responded by telling Trump, “You have a key to the hearts of the Jewish people.”
The US president claimed that the White House was “very far down the road” with five additional countries ready to join the normalization agreement. He declined to name those countries.
During his presidency, Trump has taken a number of steps to cozy up to Netanyahu, including moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
12.28pm EDT 12:28
Guests are starting to take their seats at the White House for the normalization singing ceremony between the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Bahrain.
The chairs on the South Lawn appeared to be closely packed together, in violation of recommendations on physical distancing to limit the spread of coronavirus. Many of the guests were also not wearing face masks.
The event comes less than a month after Trump hosted roughly 1,500 guests on the South Lawn for his nomination acceptance speech to close out the Republican convention.