Israeli premier holds talks with UAE foreign minister in Jerusalem

By Said Amouri

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday met with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at his office in Jerusalem.

A statement by Lapid's office said the Israeli premier had, at first, a session between him and the top Emirati diplomat before holding an expanded meeting with teams from both sides.

Lapid and bin Zayed reviewed bilateral relations and ways to develop their cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture, energy and food security.

According to the statement, the two sides congratulated each other on the second anniversary of the normalization of ties between the two countries.

Lapid also voiced support to Abu Dhabi in the face of what he said "terrorist attacks" -- in reference to drone attacks targeting the city by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in January.

In September 2020, the UAE and Israel signed a US-sponsored deal to normalize their relations. Since then, the two countries have exchanged official visits by senior officials and signed dozens of bilateral agreements in various fields, including investment, banking services, and tourism.

Three other Arab states – Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan – joined the UAE in the controversial move that came to be known as the Abraham Accords.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar