JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A first official delegation from the United Arab Emirates arrived in Israel on Tuesday after the two countries normalized relations last month as part of an agreement negotiated across the United States, largely forged by Iran’s unusual fears.
An Etihad Airways aircraft with representatives of the Emirati government in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by U. S. dignitaries, landed at Ben Gurion Airport.
They were to be received by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Finance Minister Israel Katz.
The five hours would be limited to the airport near Tel Aviv due to coronavirus problems, Israeli organizers said.
In September, the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf state of Bahrain became the first Arab states in a quarter of a century to signal agreements to identify formal ties with Israel, a resolution that Washington and its allies say would promote regional peace and stability until now. rejected, Palestinians.
“This is a historic moment for the country of the United Arab Emirates and Israel and we look forward to the salaam matrix (peace) . . . in the region,” said one of Etihad’s pilots in a video posted on Twitter via U. S. Middle East envoy Ari Berkowitz.
Berkowitz and U. S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accompany the Emirati delegation, headed by Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touq al-Mari, and Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Humaid al-Tayer to a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.
U. S. officials had joined an Israeli delegation in Bahrain on Sunday to hold a rite of signature to formalize relations.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates have already signed several industrial agreements since mid-August, when they first announced that they would identify full relationships.
Israeli officials said either party will have to sign a mutual visa waiver agreement, Israel’s first with an Arab country.
(Report through Lisa Barrington, Dan Williams and Ghaida Ghantous; edited through John Stonestreet, Philippa Fletcher and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)