UAE became the first middle east nation to open an embassy in Israel. The gulf nation inaugurated its offices in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
UAE’s envoy hailed the trade and investment opportunities that closer ties would bring at a flag-raising ceremony also attended by Israel’s president.
Brought together by shared unease about Iran, the UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel last year under the ‘Abraham Accords’ crafted by the administration of then-US president Donald Trump.
This follows the inauguration of Israeli embassy in the UAE last month.
What did they say?
“Since the normalisation of ties … we have seen for the first time discussions on trade and investment opportunities,” UAE ambassador Mohamed Al Khaja said, after raising his country’s flag outside the building.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the opening of the embassy “an important milestone in our journey towards the future, peace prosperity and security” for the Middle East.
“Seeing the Emirati flag flying proudly in Tel Aviv might have seemed like a far-fetched dream about a year ago,” he said. “In many ways, nothing could be more natural and normal.”
In the UAE last month to inaugurate Israel’s temporary embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said bilateral trade since normalisation exceeded $675 million and he expected more deals.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it in a move unrecognized by most of the international community. The city is the seat of the Israeli parliament, Supreme Court and many government offices. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future independent state.
(Feature photo : Reuters)