UAE ruler warmly welcomes Israeli PM on first visit

Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan hosted the first Israeli prime to visit the UAE at his private palace in Abu Dhabi over lunch,  with an extra two hours over schedule. Bennett spoke of a new reality in the region heralded by the normalization of relations, while the crown prince voiced hope for “stability in the Middle East.” The historic détente was fashioned by former President Donald Trump and Israel’s ex-prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu. But their successors have capitalized on the diplomatic breakthrough.

Bennett and the crown prince focused on the booming trade links between their countries: But although Iran was discussed, it was not mentioned in the joint statement issued on the encounter by the UAE news agency WAM, only a plan to establish a joint research and development fund. Last week, The Emirati ruler sent his national security adviser to Tehran where he also met Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi.