UAE cancels Israel boycott, allows economic agreements

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the move will “bring economic and trade successes for both nations.” He called on other countries in the Middle East to follow the Emirates’ “brave path.”

By LAHAV HARKOV, REUTERS, OMRI NAHMIAS
L-R: Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (photo credit: REUTERS)
L-R: Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(photo credit: REUTERS)
United Arab Emirates President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan officially scrapped an economic boycott against Israel, allowing trade and financial agreements between the countries in another key step towards normal ties, the UAE’s state news agency reported on Saturday.
The president issued a decree abolishing a boycott law as part of “the UAE’s efforts to expand diplomatic and commercial cooperation with Israel, leading to bilateral relations by stimulating economic growth and promoting technological innovation,” the WAM news agency said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praises the decision, calling it “an important step towards promoting prosperity and peace in the region.”
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the move will “bring economic and trade successes for both nations.” He called on other countries in the Middle East to follow the Emirates’ “brave path.”
The announcement came as El Al prepared to operate the country’s first direct flight between Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion Airport and the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, on Monday.
An Israeli government delegation and top aides to US President Donald Trump, including his senior adviser Jared Kushner, special representative for international negotiations, Avi Berkowitz, Envoy for Iran, Brian Hook and national security advisor, Robert O’Brian are set to arrive in Israel on Sunday, and will be on the inaugural flight to the UAE the following day.
The Trump peace team is expected to meet with Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and Ashkenazi in Jerusalem.
An administration official told The Jerusalem Post that they are expected to participate in trilateral meetings, with Israeli and Emirati delegations. From the UAE, the team will head to Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
An administration official said on Saturday that the team may visit Oman as well. On their way back to Washington, they are expected to stop in the UK to meet British officials for an update on recent developments in the Middle East.
Israel and the UAE said on August 13 they would normalize diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by Trump that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.
Before the August 13 deal can be officially signed, details must be agreed on regarding issues such as the opening of embassies, trade and travel links.
Israel’s Channel 13 TV said bilateral trade could initially be worth $4 billion a year, a figure it said could soon be tripled or quadrupled.
Government officials did not immediately confirm that estimate.
Agriculture Minister Alon Schuster said Israel was working on potential joint projects that could help improve the oil-rich Gulf nation’s food security, such as water desalination and crop cultivation in the desert.
“With their money and our experience, we could go a long way,” he told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM in an interview on Friday.
Officials from the two countries recently said they were looking at cooperation in defense, medicine, tourism and technology.
The decree announced on Saturday means UAE citizens and businesses will be free to do business with Israel.
The two countries do not yet have official air links, and it was unclear whether Monday’s El Al flight would be able to fly over Saudi Arabia – which has no official ties with Israel – to cut down on flight time.
El Al requested permission from Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority to fly through their airspace.
The Health Ministry is likely to declare the UAE a “green country” from which Israelis may return without having to self-quarantine.
In May, an Etihad Airways plane flew from the UAE to Tel Aviv to deliver supplies to the Palestinians to help fight coronavirus, marking the first known flight by an UAE carrier to Israel.


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