After the recent inauguration of an Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates opened its first embassy in Israel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, a key step in the normalization of relations between the two countries.
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With the opening of this diplomatic mission, located in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building, the Emirates become the third Arab country to have an embassy on Israeli soil after Egypt and Jordan. “
The UAE and Israel are two countries of innovation, we can use this creativity to work together for a more prosperous and stable future for our two countries and the region,
” said at the opening. Emirati Ambassador to Israel, Mohamed Mahmoud Fateh Ali Al-Khaja.
"
This historic agreement must be extended to other countries seeking peace with Israel,
" added Israeli President Isaac Herzog, present at the ceremony held in the lobby of the Stock Exchange, two floors below the offices of the embassy, according to an AFP team on site.
The Emirates and Israel had announced the normalization of their relations in the summer of 2020, at the instigation of the former US administration of Donald Trump.
Bahrain, another Gulf monarchy, as well as Morocco and Sudan, have also announced normalization agreements with Israel in recent months.
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about the negotiations
At the end of June, the new head of Israeli diplomacy Yair Lapid visited the Emirates to inaugurate the first Israeli embassy in a Gulf country.
From secular Fatah of Mahmoud Abbas to Islamists Hamas, Palestinians have denounced these normalization agreements as "
betrayal
" on the part of Arab countries.
They consider that this process must take place after the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
End of "
euphoria
"
With the 11-day war in May between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, in power in the Gaza Strip, normalization has passed an "
important test
," said Yoel Guzansky, researcher at the Institute for Security Studies National Tel Aviv.
“
It was a success because no country canceled an agreement, not even Sudan or Morocco,
” he explains. If the agreements are still on track, their development has however "
slowed down
" in recent months, qualified Mr. Guzansky, during an online discussion with journalists. “
The euphoria is no longer there
” today, according to the researcher, who wonders about the concrete support of American President Joe Biden for these agreements defended by Donald Trump.
The Emirates have increased investments in Israel but also seek, in the long term, to invest in the Palestinian Territories, including in Gaza, where Qatar - the rival monarchy of the Emirates - distributes millions in aid, noted Wednesday Abdullah Baqer, president of the Israel / Emirates Business Council, which was also participating in the online discussion. "
When there is a guarantee of political stability (in Gaza) then the investments will follow (...) and we will raise funds, build schools, do charitable work to raise the standard of living of the population
" , he added.
