Israel opens an embassy in the UAE

---

On January 24, the cabinet of the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) endorsed the establishment of their embassy in Tel Aviv ( Israel ). Israel also announced that its embassy had been opened in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi, Reuters News reported.

On January 24, the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi was officially opened and Ambassador Eitan Naeh arrived. The embassy will strengthen the relationship between the two countries at all levels Israel's Foreign Ministry announced.

The AFP news agency said that the opening of an embassy in the UAE was a historic move, the latest step in extending Israel's diplomatic reach to the Arab world.

The Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi will operate from temporary offices until a permanent facility is identified, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry.

Israel and the UAE have also signed direct flight and visa-free travel agreements, as well as agreements on investment, science and technology protection.

According to Reuters, the UAE and Israel agreed to normalize relations in August 2020. Since then, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have all agreed to establish ties with Israel.

The administration of former US President Donald Trump has mediated these historic deals. However, the Palestinian side condemned the agreements as a "backstab".

There are currently not many details about the UAE embassy in Israel. The Israeli government considers Jerusalem its capital, although it is not recognized by the international community. Most of the countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel have embassies in Tel Aviv.