Prime Minister Naftali Bennett flew to Abu Dhabi Thursday morning to satisfy with United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan.
The go to was stored underneath wraps till Bennett landed within the UAE capital.
The prime minister was met on the airport by UAE Overseas Minister Abdullah bin Zayed together with an honor guard. He was slated to then meet with MBZ in his palace for a non-public speak, adopted by a bigger working assembly.
In accordance with an announcement put out by Bennett’s workplace, the 2 leaders have been set to talk about “regional points,” in all probability referring to the stalled Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, Iran’s proxy forces, the Abraham Accords, and fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In an announcement earlier than boarding the airplane, Bennett stated he would carry a message of comfort on the demise of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed in Might on the age of 73. MBZ, Khalifa bin Zayed’s half-brother, has been the UAE’s efficient ruler for the reason that latter’s stroke in 2014.
President Isaac Herzog, accompanied by Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel and Regional Cooperation Minister Esawi Frej, flew to Abu Dhabi in Might to supply Israel’s condolences to MBZ.
Bennett known as MBZ a “man of imaginative and prescient, a courageous chief.”
“In the present day we are going to construct one other ground within the particular connection taking form between two international locations for the expansion and safety of two nations,” Bennett continued earlier than boarding the airplane.
The prime minister additionally praised the Worldwide Atomic Power Company for its censure of Iran on Wednesday.
That is the third assembly between the 2 leaders within the final six months.
In March, Bennett met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and MBZ within the Sinai resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh to debate “international developments,” seemingly the Russia-Ukraine battle.
The premier additionally met with MBZ in December, when he made the first-ever go to by an Israeli prime minister to the Gulf nation.
Bennett’s June journey comes lower than two weeks after the 2 international locations signed a complete, “groundbreaking” free commerce settlement in a bid to spice up financial ties, as commerce hit about $2.5 billion within the lower than two years for the reason that US-brokered Abraham Accords have been inked, based on latest estimates.
The UAE and Israel signed a normalization settlement in 2020 as a part of the US-backed Abraham Accords. Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco additionally normalized ties with Israel within the framework of the accords.
Regardless of the optimistic developments, there have been minor indicators of friction within the Israel-UAE relationship. A day after a file variety of Jews have been allowed to go to the Temple Mount on Jerusalem Day, the UAE international ministry known as on Israel to supply “full safety” on the web site, and urged respect for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s casual position as custodian of Jerusalem’s holy websites.
The assertion additionally known as for an finish to “provocative violations” on the Temple Mount, and urged “most restraint” from Israel to keep away from additional instability.
As well as, plans to construct a everlasting sanctuary for Dubai’s fast-expanding Jewish congregation have sputtered to a standstill, Jewish leaders say. The brand new neighborhood is working up in opposition to hurdles that non secular teams lengthy have grappled with within the federation, the place the state’s official faith of Islam is carefully monitored, non-Muslim apply is managed, and spiritual buildings are restricted.
AP contributed to this report.