UAE inaugurates embassy in Israel in latest sign of thawed relations
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday opened its embassy in Israel’s capital Tel Aviv alongside the Jewish country’s president as part of the normalization efforts between the two nations.
Mohammad al-Khaja, the UAE Ambassador to Israel, along with Israeli President Issac Herzog held the diplomatic procession, which began with the Emirati national anthem.
“Excited to start the morning with the historic event of the opening of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Israel,” Herzog tweeted following the inauguration.
Excited to start the morning with the historic event of the opening of the United Arab Emirates embassy in Israel.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) July 14, 2021
We are a nation of peace and those who are interested in peace with us will be welcomed with open arms. pic.twitter.com/2akAGVxLSt
Al-Khaja similarly expressed happiness to have cut the ribbons of the new embassy in Tel Aviv, saying it was a “great honor.”
It comes after Israel opened an embassy in UAE in late June and as part of ongoing normalization between the two countries, part of a deal signed in the US referred to as the Abraham Accords.
Read More: Israel signs accords with UAE, Bahrain
“The UAE's commitment to the Abraham Accords is unbreakable and is now cast in concrete here, in Tel Aviv,” said Al Khaja, who was sworn in as the Emirati ambassador to Israel in March.
Great honor to open the UAE Embassy in Israel. The UAE's commitment to the Abraham Accords is unbreakable and is now cast in concrete here, in Tel Aviv. @UAEinIsrael #UAEinIsrael pic.twitter.com/Xl1WgILGhB
— Mohamed Al Khaja (@AmbAlKhaja) July 14, 2021
The Israeli president said, “we are a nation of peace and those who are interested in peace with us will be welcomed with open arms.”