JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, held talks over the phone on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations.

"In their warm and friendly conversation, the two leaders expressed their commitment to work to continue advancing the historic peace agreement between Israel and the UAE, including its expansion to additional important areas," Netanyahu’s office said on Twitter.

Emirati state news agency said bin Zayed received a phone call from Netanyahu during which he "affirmed the UAE's ongoing commitment to bilateral relations with Israel."

Both bin Zayed and Netanyahu agreed to continue their dialogue “in a personal meeting in the near future," WMA said.

A comprehensive trade and economic pact between the UAE and Israel entered into force on April 1, with a view to raising trade levels between the two countries to reach $10 billion by the end of the decade.

In 2020, the UAE and Israel signed a US-sponsored agreement to normalize their relations. Since then, top officials from both countries have exchanged visits and signed several bilateral agreements.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar