UAE cabinet approves setting up embassy in Israel

Published January 24, 2021
The UAE and Israel agreed to normalise relations in August. — Reuters/File
The UAE and Israel agreed to normalise relations in August. — Reuters/File

The United Arab Emirates cabinet on Sunday approved the establishment of an embassy in the city of Tel Aviv in Israel, state media said.

The UAE and Israel agreed to normalise relations in August, a deal forged largely over shared fears of Iran.

Since then, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have all agreed to establish ties with Israel in deals brokered in 2020 by the administration of former US president Donald Trump.

No further details about the embassy were given in UAE media.

Israel's government regards Jerusalem as its capital, although that is not recognised by most of the international community. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Most countries have their embassies in Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told his Israeli counterpart that the Biden administration will work closely with Israel on regional security issues and to build on the country’s regional normalisation agreements, according to a statement on Sunday.

“They discussed opportunities to enhance the partnership over the coming months, including by building on the success of Israel’s normalisation arrangements with UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco,” a statement on Sullivan’s call on Saturday with Israel’s Meir Ben Shabbat said.

Sullivan also extended an invitation to begin a strategic dialogue in the near term, the statement added.

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...