The agreement was signed after the first official UAE delegation arrived in Israel for talks. Israel and the UAE signed an agreement to normalize relations in Washington last month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the UAE delegation at Bengurion Airport near Tel Aviv. He described the visit as a “great day for peace”.
“Today, we are creating history in a way that will be lasting for future generations,” the Israeli right-wing prime minister said of the Israeli-UAE agreement, which has been strongly condemned by the Palestinians.
The two countries signed four agreements on Monday, including a visa waiver for citizens of both countries, Netanyahu said, noting that the Israeli and UAE economies would benefit from the free movement of people.
Netanyahu’s agreement to normalize relations with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed was signed in Washington on September 15, in the presence of US President Donald Trump. A similar agreement was signed between Israel and Bahrain at the same ceremony.
Palestinian leaders see Bahrain’s and the UAE’s agreements with Israel a betrayal.
Decisions by the UAE and Bahrain to normalize relations with Israel put an end to the decades-old consensus among Arab states that a peace agreement with the Palestinians is a precondition for relations.
Trump sees Israel’s agreements with the UAE and Bahrain as part of a broader initiative for peace in the Middle East.
Trump’s Middle East peace plan, which he presented in January, earned Netanyahu praise and sharp rejection from the Palestinians.
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