A tripartite statement to this effect was issued by the three nations during the current visit to the UAE by a top US-Israeli delegation, led by Jared Kushner, Senior Adviser to US President Donald Trump. Excerpts from it read thus:

“… The accord has initiated a historic breakthrough in normalizing ties between Israel and the UAE and has led to the suspension of Israel’s plans to extend its sovereignty. The United States and the UAE urge Palestinian leaders to reengage with their Israeli counterparts in discussions aimed at achieving peace.

“…Israeli and Emirati ministers, from foreign affairs to food security, have initiated their first official discussions on continuing and strengthening cooperation.
“…The UAE and Israel wish to express their gratitude for the overwhelmingly positive response to this historic accord from governments around the world….
“We hope and expect that in the near future our collective efforts will set in motion a cascade of positive changes, both large and small, that will put our respective peoples and the wider region on a solid path to security, prosperity and peace.”

On August 31, the joint US-Israeli delegation was received at the airport by Dr. Anwar Gargash, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, later met the delegation which includes US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien and National Security Adviser and head of the Israeli National Security Council Meir Ben-Shabbat. Also present at the joint meeting was His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The meeting also addressed the trajectory of relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to enhance future collaboration in various fields to the benefit of both countries.

The joint delegation arrived in the UAE on board an Israeli commercial plane of El Al airlines, the first to land on the country’s soil since the declaration of the peace accord.

Upon landing in Abu Dhabi, Meir Ben-Shabbat read his first statement to the media in Arabic starting with the Islamic greeting “As-salamu alaykum” meaning “Peace be upon you”.

“…We are here to turn a vision into a reality,” he told the reporters in Arabic. “There are no limits for improvement in many fields like innovation, tourism, aviation, agriculture, energy and many others.”

Ben-Shabbat, who has been Israel Prime Minister’s national security adviser since 2017, read his second statement in Hebrew.

Kushner, who is US President Donald Trump’s chief Middle East adviser, highlighted the fact that the UAE in 2019 celebrated “Year of Tolerance” and hosted Head of Catholic Church, Pope Francis, who became the first-ever pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula.

“And this year they welcomed Israel,” Kushner said. “I want to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces for his leadership and courage. He is truly leading the new Middle East.”

The delegation will depart Abu Dhabi on September 1.

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“I have no doubt that future generations will appreciate the way you, the brave and wise leaders, have restarted the discourse on peace, trust, dialogue between peoples and religions, cooperation, and a promising future,” Rivlin said, in the letter to HH Sheikh Mohammed.

Direct flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Israel is in talks to have direct flights to the UAE flying over Saudi airspace, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said on a visit to Ben-Gurion Airport on August 17. Israir has already put in a request to begin direct flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, he said.

“It is a short flight of three hours, like to Rome, but it will greatly change Israeli aviation and the economy, with a great number of tourists on both sides and a great number of investments,” Netanyahu said.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the Israeli prime minister said that Emiratis are interested in “massive investment” in Israeli technology, and that free trade zones in the Emirates will allow for inexpensive goods to be imported into Israel. “It is a boost to the Israeli economy and good for every citizen,” he added. Direct flights to the UAE will make flying to and from Israel easier for many people and also shorten travel time from Israel to East Asia and Oceania.

The Israel Foreign Ministry confirmed that staff on the ground is searching for a site in Abu Dhabi for the Israeli Embassy.

On August 17, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said that his country’s new ties with Israel was not aimed at targeting Iran after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the agreement a betrayal. The UAE summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires in Abu Dhabi on August 16 to give a strong note of protest against the ‘inflammatory’ speech.

“The UAE-Israeli peace treaty is a sovereign decision that is not directed at Iran,” Gargash tweeted. “We do not accept interference in our decisions, just as we reject threats and threats… Strategic decisions are transformative and have their impact and our decision on our future enhances our position and our competitiveness.”
The agreement makes the UAE the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, to have full, active diplomatic ties with Israel.

Mossad chief Yossi Cohen visits UAE
Interestingly, Yossi Cohen, the chief of Israel’s foreign intelligence agency Mossad, visited the UAE for security talks on August 18. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE National Security Adviser, praised the efforts made by Cohen which contributed to the success of the peace accord between the UAE and Israel. They discussed “cooperation in the fields of security”.

Oman’s support
Meanwhile, Oman’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah spoke over the telephone to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi on August 17 about “recent developments in the region,” the Sultanate’s foreign ministry said on Twitter.
Oman, along with Bahrain, had already expressed its support for the deal, and Bin Alawi told Ashkenazi that Muscat “clearly reaffirms its position calling for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace” in the Middle East.

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