Israeli President Isaac Herzog has received an official invitation from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to attend the Abu Dhabi Space Dialogue to be held in December this year, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid met in Jerusalem with visiting Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to mark the second anniversary of the normalisation of ties between the two countries.
Lapid met Sheikh Abdullah for a one-on-one meeting, which was followed by an expanded meeting with teams from both sides, according to a statement from Lapid’s office on Thursday.
The UAE Foreign Minister arrived in Israel on Wednesday with a delegation that included three other government ministers, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We are changing the Middle East together. We are moving it from war to peace, from terrorism to economic cooperation, from a mess of violence and fanaticism to a dialogue of tolerance and cultural curiosity,” the Israeli Prime Minister said.
Following the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah said: “Your Excellency, the Prime Minister, just two years ago, I was honored to be part of the signing of our Abrahamic Accords representing my beloved country, the United Arab Emirates. I am sure that not only myself but many of us who attended the signing of the Abraham Accords in Washington D.C. did not expect at the time that after two years we will be with the Israeli Prime Minister celebrating our second year of warm bilateral relations, not only between the two states, but between the two peoples as well.”
Sheikh Abdullah pointed out in this regard that about half a million Israelis visited the UAE during the past two years, adding that there are about 7 to 8 flights per day between the two countries.
He highlighted the growth in the volume of trade exchange between the UAE and Israel, expressing his belief that the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries may be the fastest FTA signed by Israel.
Sheikh Abdullah said he looks forward to keeping the bilateral relations growing for the Emirati and Israeli citizens to reap the fruits of this partnership and promote a message of hope that the region badly needs.
MBZ invites Herzog to Space Dialogue
Israeli President Isaac Herzog hosted Sheikh Abdullah for an official luncheon in the afternoon at the President’s residence in Jerusalem.
The UAE Foreign Minister told Herzog that the deal to normalise diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2020 was “historic”.
Meanwhile, Herzog received an official invitation from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to attend the Abu Dhabi Space Dialogue, which will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohamed, and organised by the Emirates Space Agency in the capital Abu Dhabi in December this year.
The UAE top diplomat conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Mohamed and his wishes of progress and prosperity to the State of Israel. The Israeli president reciprocated the greetings.
The prospects of strengthening the partnership between the UAE and the State of Israel featured high during the meeting, with the two sides underscoring the importance of enhancing cooperation in areas of economy, investment, food security and other fields for the common good of the two peoples.
A number of issues of interest were reviewed during the meeting, including the situation in the region and efforts to consolidate peace and stability, with the two sides exchanging views on the latest regional and international developments.
On Thursday, Sheikh Abdullah also visited Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.
“We must take a brave step to build a bridge of real peace for future generations,” the UAE Foreign Minister wrote in the guest book.
The trip is Sheikh Abdullah’s second visit to Israel since the UAE and Israel decided to normalise ties in September 2020.
The UAE and Bahrain signed US-brokered agreements to normalise their ties with Israel in September 2020. The move was followed later by Sudan and Morocco.
