A Bright Future Ahead for Israel’s International Relations as Embassy Opens in UAE

Another big step towards peace in the Middle East was achieved on Tuesday 29th June when Israel's Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, met with the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, and officially dedicated the new Israeli Embassy. This trip is the first official Israeli visit to the UAE since the historic signing of the Abraham Accords in August of last year.  At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Lapid said, “Israel wants peace with all of its neighbors. We aren’t going anywhere. The Middle East is our home, and we’re here to stay, so we call on all countries in the region to recognize that and talk to us.”. Lapid’s visit to the UAE will hopefully be the first of many high-level visits by officials between the two nations. The UAE also has its own embassy in Tel Aviv, which it opened earlier in June.  Following the Israeli Embassy ceremony, Lapid and bin Zayed conducted a meeting about regional issues, American involvement in the Middle East, and the possibility of expanding the Abraham Accords to include other countries. Since the Abraham Accords, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco have moved to establish ties with Israel. While Sudan has not yet normalized relations with Israel, it has opened its skies to Israel-UAE flights, with Lapid's flight traveling over Saudi airspace.  While the Abraham Accords were created and implemented by Israel's previous government, they are still going strong under the new leadership, and have strong support by the current US administration. “The United States will continue to work with Israel and the UAE as we strengthen all aspects of our partnerships and work to create a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous future for all the peoples of the Middle East,” US Secretary of State, Atony Blinken said. Lapid and bin Zayed also signed an economic cooperation agreement following their meeting. This agreement is designed to remove barriers to trade, which will greatly benefit both countries and lead the way for more cooperation between Middle Eastern countries into the future. Both leaders have expressed interest in a free trade agreement, and have begun discussions towards this.  Lapid also inaugurated Israel’s Consulate in Dubai on Wednesday. The consulate, Lapid said, is a place “of dialogue between two talented peoples who can and who want to contribute to one another…. A place that symbolizes our ability to think together, to develop together, to change the world together.” Wednesday also included a visit to the site of Israel’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, set for inclusion in the World Fair in October this year. One end of the pavilion features the words “to tomorrow” in Hebrew and Arabic. It is certainly an exciting time and a bright future for Israel.  “Agreements are signed by leaders, but peace is made by people,” Lapid said during the opening of the embassy. “What we are doing here today is not the end of the road; it’s the beginning.”