South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday congratulated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel on reaching an agreement to normalize their diplomatic relations.

In congratulatory telegrams sent to UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Moon stated that South Korea fully supports the move.

Moon added that he hopes the agreement will serve as an opportunity for stability and peace in the Middle East.

Israel and the UAE agreed Thursday to establish their diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by the United States.

Under the arrangement, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of the West Bank over which it has been in a decades-old conflict with Palestine. The deal also makes the UAE the third Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan. (Yonhap)