Historic Israeli flight lands in Abu Dhabi
The UAE becomes the third Arab country to normalize relations with Israel.
By IAR Desk
An Israeli delegation landed on Monday afternoon in Abu Dhabi on a historical first direct commercial flight from Israel. The delegation will formalize the U.S.-brokered deal to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, following the bilateral historic agreement announced August 13.
The flight flew over Saudi airspace.
The delegation is headed by Israel’s National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, who was joined by his U.S. counterpart Robert O’Brien and senior U.S. Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner.
Mr. Kushner has been reported to play a key role in normalisation of relations between Israel and the Arab world and in pushing for a Middle East peace, including for the Palestinians.
Representatives from different fields like diplomacy, Investments, health, education, culture, media are also part of the Israeli delegation, which was received by the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash and other Emirati officials.
“I believe that this [UAE-Israel] agreement has the ability to change the whole course of the Middle East… What happened here was three great leaders came together, and they started writing the script for a new Middle East.” Kushner told a press conference upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking earlier at Ben-Gurion International Airport just before takeoff, Kushner expressed his hope that the flight would inspire Muslims and Arabs worldwide.
O’Brien said “Thanks to the courage and leadership of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and President Donald Trump, a new era has truly begun for our three nations. And these leaders will now be known throughout history as peacemakers.”
In a joint statement with O’Brien and Kushner on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was pleased by the speed with which Israel-UAE normalization was progressing. The Emirates’ abolishing on Saturday of the official boycott against Israel, said the prime minister, “opens the door for what I can only call unbridled trade, tourism, investments and exchanges between the Middle East’s two most advanced economies,” reported the Jewish News Syndicate.
In Abu Dhabi the delegation members will have meetings with their Emirati representatives to discuss future collaborations.
The El Al flight was numbered #971 to reflect the UAE country code and the plane had the word “Peace” painted on it in Hebrew, English and Arabic.
The first direct flight from the UAE to Israel took place earlier this year in May to deliver humanitarian and Civud-19 related supplies to the Palestinians.
The UAE becomes the third Arab country after Egypt and Jordan to normalize relations with Israel.
