Israel's Netanyahu to make first official trip to UAE on Thursday: reports

Published March 10, 2021
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, centre, and flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith, right, attend a welcoming ceremony for the first flydubai commercial flight to arrive at Ben-Gurion International Airport on November 26. — AP/File
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, centre, and flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith, right, attend a welcoming ceremony for the first flydubai commercial flight to arrive at Ben-Gurion International Airport on November 26. — AP/File

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to make his first official visit to the UAE on Thursday following an agreement between the two countries to establish ties, Israeli media reported.

A senior official in Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the reports by Israeli public radio, Haaretz newspaper and other outlets.

The reported visit would take place less than two weeks before Netanyahu faces re-election, Israel's fourth vote in less than two years.

The veteran prime minister, in power since 2009, has sought to highlight his credentials as Israel's top statesman as part of his re-election pitch.

According to the Israeli reports, Netanyahu will meet with the UAE's leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at Abu Dhabi's airport.

He will then return to Jerusalem for talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the vaccination effort against Covid-19.

The United Arab Emirates normalised ties with the Jewish state last September, making it the first Arab country to sign on to the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by former US president Donald Trump. The deal made the UAE only the third majority Arab state to establish ties with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan subsequently joined the Abraham Accords.

Netanyahu had been set to visit UAE and Bahrain in February, but the trip was put off after Israel imposed travel limitations to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Opinion

Editorial

Geopolitical games
Updated 18 Dec, 2024

Geopolitical games

While Assad may be gone — and not many are mourning the end of his brutal rule — Syria’s future does not look promising.
Polio’s toll
18 Dec, 2024

Polio’s toll

MONDAY’s attacks on polio workers in Karak and Bannu that martyred Constable Irfanullah and wounded two ...
Development expenditure
18 Dec, 2024

Development expenditure

PAKISTAN’S infrastructure development woes are wide and deep. The country must annually spend at least 10pc of its...
Risky slope
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Risky slope

Inflation likely to see an upward trajectory once high base effect tapers off.
Digital ID bill
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Digital ID bill

Without privacy safeguards, a centralised digital ID system could be misused for surveillance.
Dangerous revisionism
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Dangerous revisionism

When hatemongers call for digging up every mosque to see what lies beneath, there is a darker agenda driving matters.