Strengthening Relations With Arab Countries, Israeli President Visits UAE For The First Time

Israeli President Izaac Herzog visited the United Arab Emirates to strengthen relations with Arab countries. (Photo: Parstoday.com)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday on his first-ever visit to the country, the Israeli president's office said as quoted by Antara.

Israel is seeking to strengthen ties with Arab states as tensions in the Gulf region rise, and as influential powers seek to revive the nuclear deal with Iran.

The UAE and Bahrain signed an agreement to normalize relations with Israel in 2020, known as the "Abraham Accords" and brokered by the United States.

The two Gulf states and Israel are both worried about Iran and its regional allies.

Reuters reported, on the way to the UAE President Herzog's plane flew into Saudi Arabia's airspace. He called the moment "very moving".

Riyadh and Israel do not have diplomatic ties, but Israel says it wants to establish ties with the kingdom, which is home to two of Islam's holiest sites.

The position of president in Israel is largely a ceremonial one.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet has also visited the UAE, in December 2021.

In the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, President Herzog was greeted by Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

He was later received by the UAE's de facto leader at the presidential palace, Al Watan, along with UAE ministers and officials, the UAE news agency WAM reported. Herzog also conducts Jewish gatherings and societies in the UAE.

The UAE is the center of trade and tourism in the region.

Israel on January 18 offered security and intelligence support to the UAE to ward off drone strikes in the aftermath of a deadly attack by the Houthis, a Yemeni group with links to Iran, according to a letter published Tuesday by the Israeli leader.