Iran Press/ Middle East: Naftali Bennett met with Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on Monday at his private palace.
The Israeli Prime Minister's visit to the UAE is a continuation of the normalization of relations between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, which began in September 2020. Diplomatic meetings between Emirati and Israeli officials increased after the Abraham Accords.
Bennett's visit is the first one by an occupying regime prime minister, but his foreign minister, Yair Lapid, had previously visited the UAE in June.
In addition to economic goals, the diplomatic visits also have a political purpose: to break the taboo of Israel's relations with the Persian Gulf countries.
Israel is pursuing a plan to normalize relations through diplomatic meetings, and the UAE is seeking to demonstrate the dynamism of its foreign policy. In this regard, the UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed traveled to Syria, and the United Arab Emirates' national security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan also traveled to Iran.
During Tahnoon's visit to Iran, the two sides signed a security cooperation agreement, after which the Zionist media reported the regime's concern about the UAE approaching Iran. Israeli officials believe UAE warming ties with Iran are 'not acceptable.'
In addition, Bennett's visit to Abu Dhabi came amid talks on the JCPOA revival between Iran and the P4+1. Israel opposes the JCPOA, but the UAE, while concerned about Iran's nuclear program, welcomes the revival of the agreement and the strengthening of relations with Iran. Therefore, Iran has been one of the focal points of the Israeli Prime Minister's meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
Another point is that Bennett's visit took place on the eve of the GCC summit. The meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow in Riyadh. Thus, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed is likely to carry a message from the Israeli Prime Minister to officials attending the Riyadh summit. The UAE has sought to move some other Arab countries toward normalizing relations with Israel in the past year.
The other thing about the Israeli officials' is that Saudi Arabia is opening the door to these diplomatic meetings because the plane carrying the Israeli officials is going to Abu Dhabi through the skies of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel will be somewhat desensitized, and gradually Al-Saud will make the relations with Israel public.
224
Read More:
Israel PM Naftali Bennett to visit UAE in October, media reports
New Israeli foreign minister to visit UAE next week
