Dr Mike Evans

Netanyahu to visit United Arab Emirates

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Mahmoud Al Khaja.

Netanyahu received from Ambassador Al Khaja a letter from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum officially inviting him to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai this November.

Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Ambassador Al Khaja for the invitation.

The invitation builds on the growth of the Abraham Accords signed when Netanyahu was previously prime minister in 2020. The agreement was originally signed between Israel, Bahrain and UAE during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Additional countries has since joined the accords.

The normalization agreement has led to substantial enhancements for all nations involved, adding billions of dollars in annual revenue since 2020.

Following the return of Netanyahu to office as prime minister, discussions have occurred with Saudi Arabia that many hope will lead to the two nations joining together in the accords. If so, it would mark a revolutionary change in the Middle East, as Saudi Arabia holds massive financial and political sway in the region and would be the largest nation to join in the agreement to date.

Reports have also noted discussions among other nations in North Africa and the Middle East over potentially joining the agreement, including mentions of Omar or Tunisia.

Talks have been complicated recently over two matters. First, the Arab League recently reinstated Syria in a move that changed policy toward the nation over its long civil war. Syria and Israel have held tense moments along Israel’s northern border in multiple controversies.

More importantly, Iran and Saudi Arabia recently announced plans to restore diplomatic relations. With Iran’s threats toward Israel, the move could make any official agreement more difficult for both nations.