The aim is to sign a number of agreements in various fields following the historic establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations

The first official delegation from the United Arab Emirates arrives in Israel

photo_camera AFP PHOTO/HO/WAM - Emirati and Israeli delegates sign an agreement at the first Business Summit of the Abraham Agreements in Abu Dhabi on 19 October 2020 in the presence of US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

The first official delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrived in Israel on Tuesday as part of the initiatives that continue to be developed following the historic Abraham Agreements sealed between the two nations, under the auspices of the United States, which established mutual diplomatic relations. 

The expedition from the Emirate arrived in the Jewish nation to initial several important agreements, such as the exemption of visas between nationals of both countries, the first one between Israel and an Arab country, or like others in the areas of aviation, investment protection and science and technology. Other first steps have already been taken as a result of these agreements, such as the arrival of regular commercial flights to Israeli territory from the United Arab Emirates. 

The Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, received the delegation at Ben Gurion International Airport, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. Among the group of personalities from the Arab country were the Emirati ministers of finance and economy, Obaid Humaid al-Tayer and Abdullah bin Touq al-Marri, accompanied by the US secretary of state for the treasury, Steve Mnuchin, and the White House adviser and special envoy for international negotiations, Avi Berkowitz.

The delegation will not leave the airport and the pacts will be signed there, due to necessary precautions in view of the COVID-19 health crisis.

The agenda included a trilateral meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu, Steve Mnuchin, Avi Berkowitz, Obaid Humaid Al-Tayer and Abdullah bin Touq al-Marri; and another bilateral meeting between the Hebrew prime minister and the US secretary of state for the treasury. Meanwhile, meetings have been organised in parallel between the officials and their teams and their Israeli counterparts.

Un avión de Etihad Airways que transportaba una delegación de Emiratos Árabes Unidos en su primera visita oficial aterriza en el aeropuerto israelí Ben Gurion, cerca de Tel Aviv, el 20 de octubre de 2020

The trip follows the ratification, during the previous day in the Emirates and in the Israeli Parliament last week, of the agreement on the establishment of relations mediated by Washington and signed by both parties at the White House in September, with the presence of Bahrain. 

The Abraham Agreements made the Emirates the third Arab country to maintain diplomatic ties with Israel after Egypt and Jordan, and Bahrain the fourth. The historic consensus within the Arab League not to normalise relations with the Jewish state until there is a peace agreement with the Palestinians and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state was thus broken. 

In this connection, the UAE has already stated that its agreement with Israel will respect the establishment of the Palestinian state, in addition to stipulating a halt to the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Although Benjamin Netanyahu was somewhat ambiguous on the latter issue. 

Both Israel and the USA have been convinced that more Arab countries will follow the steps of Emirates. Although from the Palestinian sphere and other Arab sectors the agreement reached is considered as a "betrayal" of the cause of Palestine.

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