Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. President Donald Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in response to his efforts to establish diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The nomination comes despite Israel and the UAE's long history of back-channel diplomacy, encouraged by both states' mutual interest in countering the influence of Iran, a common regional foe to both states.

Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a four-term member of the Norwegian parliament and chairman of the Norwegian delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, was responsible for the bid.

Tybring-Gjedde told Fox News he found the president deserving "for his merit; I think he has done more to try to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees."

"As 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," Tybring-Gjedde said he wrote in his nomination letter to the Nobel Committee.

The UAE and Israel on Aug. 13 announced a U.S.-brokered agreement to normalize relations, including opening embassies in each other's territories.

The Palestinian Authority and resistance factions denounced the deal, saying it did not serve the Palestinian cause and ignored the rights of Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority said any deal with Israel should be based on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative on the principle of "land for peace" and not "peace for peace," as Israel claims.

Trump, a leader famously susceptible to praise who is currently facing an uphill reelection battle, seems certain to welcome the nomination.

Tybring-Gjedde also previously nominated Trump for the prize in 2018, after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Since then, relations between Trump and Kim have soured, with Kim rumored to be set to unveil a powerful new weapon next month.