Bennett departs on historic visit to United Arab Emirates

This is the first official visit by an Israeli prime minister to the UAE.

By TPS

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will depart on Sunday on his first official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the invitation of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Bennett is expected to meet on Monday with the Crown Prince.

“The leaders will discuss deepening the ties between Israel and the UAE, especially the economic and regional issues that will contribute to prosperity, welfare and strengthening the stability between the two countries,” Bennett’s office stated.

This is the first official visit by an Israeli prime minister to the UAE.

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the architect and signatory of the Abraham Accords with the UAE, did not have a chance to visit the UAE.

The United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain shortly after it, announced in August 2020 the normalization of relations with Israel. The agreements were signed on the White House lawns on September 15, 2020.

Sudan was next to announce the normalization of relations with Israel in October 2020, Israel’s third peace treaty in two months.

Morocco was the fourth country to join the Abraham Accords with Israel. The two countries announced the normalization of relations in December 2020.

The Abraham Accords, the first pact between an Arab country and Israel in 25 years, is expected to lead to similar agreements with other Arab countries, possibly Oman or Saudi Arabia.