Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett landed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday, making him the first Israeli leader to make an official visit to the country, Reuters reported. Before leaving Israel, Bennett told the media that he will meet with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Monday to discuss ways to bolster cooperation and strengthen economic and commercial ties. Bennett’s UAE meeting also marks the first visit by an Israel leader to another signatory of the “Abraham Accords,” a U.S. backed initiative to normalize relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, according to Reuters. ADVERTISEMENT"In just one year since normalising our relationship, we've already seen the extraordinary potential of the Israel-UAE partnership," Bennett said. Israel's effort to normalize relations with some Muslim countries has frustrated Palestinians, who want to maintain pressure on Tel Aviv.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 12, 2021 22:09 UTC