Expanding relations with UAE, Israel opens its first embassy

Tel Aviv: Israel on Sunday said it has opened its embassy in the United Arab Emirates following last year’s US-Brocade Agreement to establish full diplomatic relations with Gulf countries.

Israel’s foreign ministry said the embassy would be in a temporary office, while a permanent location would be prepared. Eitan Na’eh, an Israeli diplomat, will serve as the mission’s head.

Foreign Minister Gabby Ashkenazi said that the new embassy’s opening already had warm relations between Israel and the UAE. Since formally establishing relations in September, the two countries have already established direct flights and exchanged several trade delegations, while thousands of Israeli tourists have visited the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE was the first of four Arab countries to establish or renew relations with Israel under a series of agreements brokered by the Trump administration.