The United Arab Emirates ended a boycott of Israel for decades before the first flight between the two Middle Eastern countries.
President Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan issued a decree on Saturday, restricting and authorizing industrial and monetary relations with Israel. According to the UAE’s official WAM news agency, the decree will allow the UAE to purchase Israeli products from its seven sheikdoms.
“The decree of the new law is a component of the UAE’s efforts to expand diplomatic and industrial cooperation with Israel,” WAM said. It presents “a roadmap for the launch of joint cooperation, leading to bilateral cooperation by encouraging economic expansion and the sale of technological innovation”.
The resolution comes just days before the two countries mark Israel’s first advertising flight to the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. delegation scheduled for The Al flight Monday includes President Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, national security adviser Robert O’Brien, outgoing Iranian envoy Brian Hook, and State Department for the Middle East envoy, Avi Berkowitz, a senior management officer. told the Washington Examiner Monday.
The standardization agreement signed earlier in August through Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The agreement represents a breakthrough in the region, where many Arab countries have traditionally denied Israel’s way of life in favor of Palestinian claims on land. As a component of the negotiated standardization agreement, Israel will “suspend” plans to annex a domain that some say is mandatory for a long-term Palestinian state.
Other countries in the region are believed to be moving in the direction taken through the United Arab Emirates to normalize relations. Oman, Bahrain and Sudan have been noted as countries with the prospect of charting a path of greater cooperation or normalization with Israel.
The Washington examiner contacted the State Department for comment.