The United Arab Emirates’ Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Zayed, held talks with Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, the highest-level meeting since the two countries signed a deal to establish official ties.
The two met on Monday in Abu Dhabi and discussed cooperation in the economic, trade and development fields, the Emirates’ WAM news agency reported.
Bennett arrived on Sunday on the first official visit by an Israeli prime minister to the Arab Gulf country.
In September 2020, Israel signed a United States-brokered agreement with the UAE and its neighbor, Bahrain, to establish diplomatic relations.
In an interview published Sunday evening, Bennett told WAM that the deal established a “new, deep and solid structure for diplomatic, economic and cultural relations” in the region.
He said he was “very satisfied” with how cooperation had grown between the two countries and that he looked forward to consolidating the relationship.
In the summer, the UAE opened an embassy in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv and the countries established direct flights.
Israel and the UAE expect bilateral economic benefits but the rapprochement is also seen as an alliance against Iran and its nuclear programme. (dpa/NAN)
