Prime Minister Bennett heads home from historic UAE visit
Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett has left Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after concluding a historic visit to the country.
Naftali Bennett received by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed
Photo: Haim Zac/GPO
The trip marked the first time that an Israeli prime minister travelled to the UAE. Bennett departed Israel on Sunday afternoon on an official visit to the country at the invitation of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
As its name implies, the UAE is a union of several different Arab principalities. Located on an Island, Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second-most populous city of the United Arab Emirates
Bennet met on Monday with the Crown Prince in the Sheikh’s private palace.
Upon his arrival in the country, the Prime Minister was received by the Emirates’ Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, along with an honour guard. Later, he was met with honour by the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, against the background of Israeli and Emirati flags in the country’s reception complex.
Before leaving the country, Mr., Bennett gave an interview to the UAE’s official news agency WAM.
“The message I seek to send to the leadership of the Emirates and the emirates themselves: The partnership and friendship between us is natural,” he said in the interview. “The deepening of relations between the two countries is a great asset to our two countries and our two peoples, and to the entire region.”
“We are neighbours and cousins, we are all grandchildren of Abraham,” he added.
Mr Bennett also spoke to the media before his plane took off Monday evening. Calling his visit to the UAE “significant,” Bennett thanked Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed for what he described as very warm hospitality and in-depth, sincere and significant talks.
The two leaders, said Bennett, discussed their two Nations’ relative strengths and relationship. “Our goal is to expand ties so that there is not only peace between the leaders but also between the peoples,” he said. “I am leaving here with great optimism that this example, of ties between the two countries, will be a cornerstone for a wide-ranging network of ties throughout the region.”
In the framework of the visit, Bennett also met with the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber and UAE Culture Minister Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi.
In their meeting, Prime Minister Bennett and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology discussed cooperation between the two countries in technology, trade and energy. In its description of the meeting, the Prime Minister’s office emphasized their discussion of projects in the field of renewable energy by using the word “especially.”
Prime Minister Bennett and UAE Culture Minister Al Kaabi discussed bilateral cooperation in culture and sports, including film and joint television productions.
TPS
I think it is wonderful that the Prime Minister of Israel, Naftali Bennett, has been to UAE with a hand of friendship. Hopefully this is the start of new ties between Israel and it’s Arab neighbours. As he said: “we are all grandchildren of Abraham.”