JERUSALEM – A delegation of senior Emirati officials visited Israel on Tuesday for the first time since the two countries agreed to normalize relations, where they signed a series of bilateral agreements aimed at strengthening their new ties.
U. S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accompanied Emirati Finance Minister Obaid Humaid al-Tayer and senior officials from the United Arab Emirates and the United States on Etihad Airways’ flight from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received al-Tayer and Mnuchin at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport before signing a series of bilateral agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, civil aviation, visa waivers and clinical and innovation agreements.
“Today we are writing the story. We’re writing the story in a way that will last for generations,” Netanyahu said in a rite under a tent on the runway. “This day will be an excellent day of peace. “
The rite was closed to the media and the Emirati delegation had to hold all meetings at the airport, for coronavirus reasons.
Al-Tayer said the United Arab Emirates seeks to identify legal frameworks with Israel “to ensure the prosperity of our economies and our people. “
Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced in August that they had agreed to normalize under an agreement negotiated through the United States and signed agreements on the White House lawn in September. In the following weeks, the two countries signed a series of trade, banking and intergovernmental agreements, as well as an end to a long-standing boycott of the United Arab Emirates opposed to Israel.
“The Abrahamic Agreements identify direct economic ties between two of the extremely rich and complex economies of the Middle East,” Mnuchin said at the ceremony. “These links create a great foundation for economic growth, opportunities, innovation and prosperity. Greater prosperity económica. se accompanies greater security. »
Neighboring Gulf Monarchy Bahrain also signed an agreement to normalize with Israel. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are the third and fourth Arab states to identify links with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties with Israel in 1979 and 1994, respectively.
Mnuchin flew with Israel to Bahrain before this week for the signing of bilateral agreements between Israel and the Gulf Monarchy.
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