Israel and UAE Strike Historic Deal to Normalize Relations
A new peace agreement was signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on August 13, 2020.
In a surprise statement by US President Donald Trump, who helped broker it, the countries called the accord “historic” and a breakthrough towards peace.
Until now, Israel has had no diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab countries.
President Trump called the deal between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan "a truly historic moment". It marks only the third Israel-Arab peace deal since Israel's declaration of independence in 1948, after Egypt and Jordan.
“Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates,” US president told reporters in the Oval Office, saying there would be a signing ceremony at the White House.
Further, Salem Mohammed Al Zaabi, Director of the International Security Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, emphasised that the main goal of the peace treaty is to establish economic and scientific relations in the fields of technology, mainly artificial intelligence (AI), health and education.
This implies that both countries, Israel and United Arab Emirates, will exchange ambassadors, establish embassies, and open direct flights. Emirati billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor, who owns one of the U.A.E.’s largest conglomerates Al Habtoor Group, said he has launched talks with Israir Airlines Ltd., a domestic Israeli carrier, to open direct commercial flights.
Opening direct ties between two of the Middle East’s most advanced economies will definitely transform both regions by increasing economic growth and enhance technological innovations where people could expect for more business relations and opportunities between the two countries.
