UAE Makes Official Request to Open Embassy in Israel

On Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) submitted a request to open an embassy in Israel as part of a normalization agreement signed between the two countries.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi met with an Emirati delegation, which arrived in Tel Aviv today for the first high-level visit from the Gulf state to Israel.

Omar Saif Ghobash, an adviser to Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, presented a letter from Al-Nahyan to Ashkenazi to open an embassy in Israel.

In his letter, Al-Nahyan thanked Ashkenazi for his support to the development of relations between the two countries and expressed hope that Israel will soon open its embassy in Abu Dhabi.

On Sept. 15, the UAE and Bahrain agreed to establish full diplomatic, cultural and commercial relations with Israel after signing controversial agreements at the White House.

Earlier, the US, Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced the establishment of a joint regional development fund based in Jerusalem.

The Abraham Fund – derived from the Abraham Accords, as the peace between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain is known – will be launched with an office in Jerusalem and a $3 bn. starting trilateral investment to promote economic cooperation and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa.