Israeli PM Naftali Bennett to make first official visit to the UAE

This is the first visit to the country by an Israeli premier

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AP

By AP

Published: Sun 12 Dec 2021, 7:14 PM

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday took off on a historic trip to the UAE, the first visit by an Israeli premier, as part of a blitz of regional diplomacy against the backdrop of struggling nuclear talks with Iran.

Bennett’s trip to Abu Dhabi, where he will meet with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, is a milestone for both Israel and its new leader.

Israel and the UAE last year signed a normalisation deal brokered by the Trump administration under the “Abraham Accords,” a series of diplomatic accords with Arab countries that also included Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

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“We’re going to be discussing ways to further our cooperation in a number of fields, especially strengthening our economic and commercial ties,” Bennett said, shortly before takeoff.

“In just one year since normalising our relationship, we’ve already seen the extraordinary potential of the Israel-UAE partnership. This is just the beginning.”

AP

Published: Sun 12 Dec 2021, 7:14 PM

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