In the latest normalization action under a pact mediated by Washington last year, the United Arab Emirates inaugurated an embassy in Israel on Wednesday, housed in Tel Aviv’s new stock exchange building.
The event took place in the heart of Israel’s financial district, emphasizing the importance of economic collaboration since the UAE became only the third majority-Arab country to recognize Israel.
Emirati ambassador Mohamed al-Khaja described the embassy opening, which was attended by new Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as “an important milestone in the expanding friendship between our two countries.”
“We can use this innovation to strive towards a more affluent and sustainable future for our countries and our region,” he said.
The “historic agreement” with the UAE, according to Herzog, should be “extended to other states desiring peace with Israel.”
Since normalizing relations as part of the so-called Abraham Accords, mediated by former US President Donald Trump’s administration, Israel and the UAE have signed a slew of agreements spanning from tourism to aviation to financial services.
The ceremony, which took place in the lobby of the stock exchange building two floors below the embassy, followed Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s historic visit to the UAE last month, during which he opened an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate in Dubai.
