Israeli premier arrives in Abu Dhabi to meet UAE president

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday arrived in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) capital Abu Dhabi to meet with the country's President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

Bennett is on a “snap visit” to the UAE at the invitation of the UAE president, an Israeli government statement said.

“Today, together, we will take to the special bond that has been woven between our countries to the next level — for the growth and security of both our peoples,” the statement quoted Bennett as saying.

In September 2020, the UAE and Israel signed a US-sponsored deal to normalize their relations. Since then, the two countries exchanged official visits by senior officials and have signed dozens of bilateral agreements in various fields, including investment, banking services, and tourism.

Three other Arab states – Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan – joined the UAE in the controversial move that came to be known as the Abraham Accords.

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Writing by Ahmed Asmar