Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is on a two-day trip to the UAE, says the Middle East has a stark choice of possible futures, between one of hope and peace and another led by the Islamic regime of Iran.
“There are only two alternatives for this region,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, standing outside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. ”One is peace, prosperity, cooperation, joint investments and a beautiful horizon for the people, or alternatively, what Iran is doing, which is destabilizing the region and using its proxies to employ terror. These are the two alternatives, and this visit symbolizes hope, peace, and a great future for our nations, the region, and the world at large.”
The Israeli president also said during a visit to Dubai 2020 Expo on Monday morning that the two countries’ trade had reached $1 billion a year, and added that “Israel is a country in which obstacles become opportunities, and where the impossible is a tantalizing challenge,” Herzog said in a speech. “This pavilion has provided a phenomenal taste of what we have to offer — from water tech and sustainable agriculture to public health to smart cities and groundbreaking solutions for a circular economy.”
The UAE, together with Bahrain, signed joint agreements on the normalization of relations with Israel, known as the “Abraham Accords,” on August 13, 2020, mediated by the US government. Both Emirate and Israel share common concerns on the Islamic regime of Iran and its allied militant groups in the region.
Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited Abu Dhabi. Prior to that, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid traveled to the UAE for the official opening of the Israeli embassy. The Office of the Prime Minister of Israel says that Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of the UAE is also scheduled to visit Israel.
