Israeli foreign minister postpones visit to Dubai over Iranian threats

Iran has threatened to avenge Soleimani’s death by assassinating top American and Israeli figures.

By World Israel News Staff 

Israel’s Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Minister Israel Katz has called off an upcoming visit to Dubai due to concerns that he could be a target of an Iranian attack to avenge the U.S.’ killing of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, according to media reports.

Katz was instructed by Israeli security officials not to visit the Gulf emirate at this time, said Channel 12 News.

The trip, scheduled for the coming days, would have included top-level talks with officials in the United Arab Emirates and efforts to arrange Israel’s participation in the Expo 2020 in Dubai, which opens in October.

According to Channel 12, Katz hoped to sign pacts upgrading Israel’s ties with Gulf states, which already have ties with Jerusalem amid a common concern over Iranian aggression.

No new date was given for a future visit, reports Reuters. The news agency adds that a diplomatic source “did not cite evidence to indicate any specific threat” and referred to the decision to put off the visit as a precaution.

Iran has threatened to avenge Soleimani’s death by assassinating top American and Israeli figures.

The Israeli foreign minister visited Dubai in July, stating that he was “excited to stand here in Abu Dhabi and to represent the interests of the State of Israel vis-à-vis the Arab Gulf states.” He called it a “significant step up in the relations between Israel and the states in the region.”

In November 2018, Katz visited Oman. At the time he held the position of transportation minister and attended a conference on the issue.

He was said to have also explained what Israel has to offer his hosts in the areas of water desalination, irrigation, agriculture, and medicine.

Arab Gulf StatesIsrael KatzQassem SoleimaniUnited Arab Emirates