Israel launches ‘virtual embassy’ for Gulf dialogue

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli Foreign Ministry has launched a “virtual embassy” to promote dialogue with the Gulf countries.

"We are pleased to announce the re-launch of 'Israel in the Gulf' page which aims to promote dialogue between Israel and the Gulf nations,” the ministry said on Twitter.

"We hope this virtual embassy will contribute to deepen understanding between the peoples of the Gulf and the people of Israel in various fields,” it added.

The “Israel in the Gulf” page was first launched in mid-2013, but stopped tweeting one year later.

Ahead of the page re-launch, Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urged Gulf followers to follow the page “with a view to promoting dialogue between you and us”.

Israel does not have diplomatic relations with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

In October, Netanyahu paid a surprise visit to Oman upon an invitation from the ruler of the Gulf state.

Following the visit, a number of Israeli ministers visited the UAE and Bahrain to attend economic conferences and sports competitions.

Netanyahu has frequently spoken about growing Arab-Israeli relations over the last year.