Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on March 5, 2021

By: Aryeh Savir

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi welcomed on Monday in Jerusalem Mohamed Mahmoud Al Khaja, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) first ambassador to Israel.

Ashkenazi congratulated Al Khaja and noted the important role of the United Arab Emirates in leading the change created by the Abraham Accords throughout the Middle East.

We have a historic opportunity to present a model of a warm and comprehensive peace between countries and peoples. The opening of Foreign Ministry missions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and the opening of the Emirates Embassy in Israel are critical to establishing bilateral relations and promoting peace, Ashkenazi stated.

I express happiness in the rapid warming of relations between the countries, and the realization of the vision of peace between cultures and people.

Al Khaja stated that his arrival in Israel for Emiratis and Israelis, a new chapter of openness, understanding and prosperity is beginning.

Ashkenazi and Al Khajaheld a personal meeting, followed by the first working meeting between the staff of the UAE embassy in Israel and the working teams at the Foreign Ministry, led by Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz and Middle East Deputy Director Haim Regev.

Al Khaja landed on Monday morning at Ben Gurion Airport and was received by the Chief of State Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gil Haskel.

Al Khaja is slated to present his credentials to President Reuven Rivlin later in the day and is expected to hold additional working meetings at the Foreign Ministry and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum on Tuesday.

The Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi officially opened on January 25 with the arrival of the Head of Mission Eitan Naeh, Israels former envoy to Turkey.

The UAE and Bahrain signed a historic peace agreement with Israel at the White House on September 15, the first agreement to be signed between Israel and an Arab country in 25 years.

The UAE was the first major Arab state to recognize Israel since the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty was signed in October 1994.

Announced on August 13, the Abraham Accords is the first between a Gulf state and Israel and is expected to lead to similar agreements with other Arab countries, possibly Oman or Saudi Arabia.

Israel and Sudan announced the normalization of ties in October 2020. Morocco joined the Abraham Accords in December.

(TPS)

Read this article:

Israeli FM to 1st UAE Amb in Israel: 'Another Historic Day in the Middle East' - The Jewish Voice

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