UAE Opens Embassy in Israel, First Among Gulf Arab States

Opening Ceremony of the Embassy of the State of Israel in the UAE
Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first Arab country in the Gulf region to open an embassy in Israel.

On the 14th (local time), according to Israeli media and foreign news outlets, the UAE opened its embassy to Israel in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building.

The UAE and Bahrain signed the 'Abraham Accords' with Israel in September last year, mediated by then U.S. President Donald Trump, and since then Morocco and Sudan have normalized relations with Israel.

Earlier, Israel advanced bilateral relations by establishing an embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and a consulate in Dubai at the end of last month.

Mohamed Al Khaja, UAE Ambassador to Israel, stated at the embassy opening ceremony that the two countries discussed cooperation in trade and investment.

He said, "For the first time since normalization of relations, we discussed trade and investment opportunities," adding, "We reached important agreements in various fields including economy, air travel, technology, and culture."

Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, responded, "The opening of the UAE embassy to Israel is a significant milestone for the future, peace, prosperity, and security of the Middle East."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.